


Un Nouveau Soleil

by reddies_spaghetti



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Blow Jobs, Falling In Love, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Homophobia, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Richie is the heir to the British throne, Sonia Kaspbrak's A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-06-09 14:02:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 26,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15269034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reddies_spaghetti/pseuds/reddies_spaghetti
Summary: It was three months into his first year that Richie met Eddie for the first time. Edward Frank Kaspbrak. The man who would become the love of his life.And Richie had no idea.or: Richie is the heir to the British Throne who decides to study abroad at Harvard University. There, he meets Eddie Kaspbrak and they fall in love...duh.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> The title of the fic is from the song by the same name by M83. It translates to 'a new sun'. I highly recommend listening to the song when reading, it adds some emotion!
> 
> This is part one of a two part fic. The second part shouldn't be too long until it's finished, I'll try not to keep you waiting. 
> 
> As always, come say hi on Tumblr @reddies-spaghetti
> 
> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated!<3

“Absolutely not.”

Richie whipped his head around from where he was addressing his mother, to land on Charles, the families Royal Advisor, who was staring at him with a hard expression.

Nothing new then.

“Excuse me?” Richie’s voice was both confused and irritated that his conversation had been interrupted by the man who was the bain of his entire life. Regardless of whether it was charity work Richie wanted to partake in, if it was him wanting to enter the Naval Forces at eighteen, or now, when he was asking his parents permission to allow him to go to America to study, Charles always had an issue.

“There is nothing wrong with St Andrews, or Oxford university which are here, in the United Kingdom, Richard. Why must you insist on travelling to the United States just for an education?” He asked, and behind him, Richie felt his father inhale. He knew, the only reason that Charles was still in the position was because of his late grandfather, King Robert, who relied heavily on Charles’ expertise and advice throughout his reign.

His father didn’t just want to let him go, after all he had done for the family it just didn’t seem right.

“I want to go to America, because I want to expand my horizons,” Richie hissed through gritted teeth. “And the last time I checked, it wasn’t up to you whether I left or not, but up to my parents.”

“Richard, please try to control your tongue,” His father spoke up from behind him. Even though Wentworth usually sided with his son, his tone was not one that should be used by the Crown Prince of England. “On another note, Charles, Richard has expressed a great interest in studying in America, and I believe it will be a good thing for him to see some of the world before he has to take his duties seriously.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Richie caught the gaze of his younger sister Charlotte, who always struggled to keep her expression neutral during confrontations like this. Without thinking, Richie pulled a face, extracting a snort from her before she covered her mouth in shock.

“Alright you two,” His mother, Queen Margaret, spoke from her seat. “Why don’t you let your father and I talk to Charles about this alone?”

As Richie led Charlotte out of the room, he could hear the distant arguing of his father standing up in his defence. He knew there wasn’t anything to worry about, he would be going to Harvard University, there was no doubt about that. If Richie had any inkling that his father would not allow him, then he wouldn’t have brought it to their attention, yet he had, and he knew his father would support his decision wholeheartedly.

Who cares about what Charles thought.

“You just love riling him up don’t you?” Richie turned his head to Charlotte, who had taken a seat on one of the sofas outside of the room. “I am surprised that he even still tries to argue with you though, everyone knows you’ll always get your way.”

“It’s my wit and charm Lottie, it’s my wit and charm,” he winked and she laughed.

“What school have you chosen?” Charlotte always was a curious one, and the fact that her brother was going to America, had definitely peaked her interest.

“Harvard. I have already received my letter of acceptance.”

“Winter will be colder there than it ever is here,” she teased and Richie nudged her with his hip.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.”

“Oh I’m not worried about you, I’m worried about everyone else. Are you taking someone with you? A friend?”

Richie laughed, but eventually nodded his head, “Stan. He offered and I was never going to turn down the opportunity of going to University with my best friend.”

They waited outside the room for a while longer, before giving up and leaving their parents to discuss Richie’s fate in private.

Yet, Richie knew he wasn’t going to be denied, and as he boarded a plane with Stan a few months later, bound for America, it was with a smirk on his face.

_Fuck you, Charles._

* * *

America was everything Richie had wanted it to be, and more. Yes, there was the downfall of having the paparazzi document and follow his every move, right down to what he had for breakfast every morning, but it wasn’t anything knew. Having Stan with him was an added bonus, and they had a dorm room just across the hall from one another. When they first arrived, the Dean asked if he wanted private accommodation, but Richie insisted that he wanted to be treated just like everyone else at the University. No perks or privileges, to which the Dean was more than happy to comply with.

It was three months into his first year that Richie met Eddie for the first time. Edward Frank Kaspbrak. The man who would become the love of his life.

And Richie had no idea.

Stan had class, while Richie had free time on one Wednesday morning. Instead of waiting around for his friend, Richie crossed the street and into a coffee shop. He was a frequent visitor of Starbucks, but this coffee shop was an independent one. The place was somewhat empty, only a few people scattered throughout with three baristas behind the counter, chatting.

One of the baristas, a young woman with hair as red as fire, looked up and their eyes met. She sent him a smile and a wink as he approached the counter, before nudging her colleague, a boy who was at least a foot shorter than him. The boy turned around and Richie felt the air leave his lungs as though he had been punched in the gut. The boy was stunning, no other word could describe it, soft brown hair, hazel eyes, high cheekbones and smooth skin.

Richie hadn’t even realised he was gawking until the boy cleared his throat. “What can I get for you?”

“Oh, right. Can I have...2/3 caff triple ristretto affogato venti, 2 pump mango 1 pump classic, 2%, mango to the second line, 3 scoops protein, 3 scoops berries, 2 scoop matcha, add banana, double blended, with whip, caramel drizzle, salted caramel topping, vanilla bean frappuccino.” Richie stumbled out. “Oh and a chocolate cookie, please.”

The other two barista’s standing behind the boy both turned their heads around as he spoke, eyes wide. The boy, whose name was Eddie as Richie had discovered after glancing at his name tag, blinked at him a few times, “Uh, _no_...but I can make you a plain vanilla frappuccino?”

Richie let out a chuckle and reached a hand up to rub the back of his neck, “Yeah, just a regular vanilla frappe, please, and a chocolate cookie.”

“Right, can’t forget about the chocolate cookie,” Eddie hummed, picking one up with a pair of tongs and placing it in a plastic bag. In the background, the girl with the red hair was busy making his drink. “Would you like whipped cream?”

“Why not,” Richie hummed, pulling out his wallet. “How much?”

“$5.48, please.”

Richie pulled out a ten, accepting the drink that the girl passed him, taking note of her own name tag. Beverly. He passed the money to Eddie and winked. “Keep the change, cutie.”

As he walked out of the coffee shop, Richie knew for absolute certain that he would be back. As he crossed the road, Stan was just emerging from the hall where his class was behind held and Richie sent him a smirk.

“You are way too happy for it being only midday,” Stan mumbled as he tugged his jacket tighter around himself.

“Stan, my man, I am _ecstatic!”_ Richie grinned, handing him the cookie in the paper bag.

“Gee, thanks Richard. A cookie, how exciting.” Stan deadpanned, but stuffed it into his mouth anyway. “So what’s got you so excited then?”

“I think I just met my future husband.”

It was no secret to the world that Richie was bisexual. After his eighteenth birthday, he had been caught by the press making out with a man in a club in London, which sent the nation into an uproar. At first it was tough for most people to accept that their future King might end up with a man, but after his father had addressed the nation, giving them his thoughts and acceptance of his son’s choices, the hype died down.

Stan raised his eyebrows and looked from the coffee cup in his hand and then to behind him, “He works in the coffee shop? Such an American cliche, Richard. Come on, I have to pick up a book from the library.”

Richie shrugged and with one final glance over his shoulder at the coffee shop, he followed Stan.

* * *

 “Was that?”

“Yes, Bev.”

“Oh my god, did he just??”

“Yes, Beverly, shut up please?”

Beverly ran a hand through her red hair and Eddie pinched his nose. It wasn’t news that Harvard was hosting royalty for the next four years, after all it was all anyone could talk about after it was announced.

His Royal Highness, Prince Richard II, of England would be attending Harvard University.

Eddie knew there was a chance they would cross paths, but he never expected that he would walk into the small, independent coffee shop when there was a Starbucks two minutes away. Mike, their other colleague, let out a chuckle.

“Was it just me, or did I sense something sparking just there?” Eddie whipped around and smacked Mike with his cloth. “What!”

“Shut up Mike, he’s not going to come back. He came in for some coffee and left. There was no...spark.”

“Oh there was definitely a spark, Eddie,” Bev winked. “He called you, cutie! I mean that is spark material at it’s finest!”

Eddie rolled his eyes at his friend and focused on cleaning the coffee machine. He was surprised how calm and collected he had acted when Prince Richard had walked in, and he also felt rather embarrassed for not making him the coffee he had asked for.

It didn’t matter, he wouldn’t come back, and Eddie would move on and forget all about his little embarrassing encounter with the future King of England.

A few days later, Eddie’s statement was proven wrong.

He was alone in the coffee shop, it was nearing the end of the day so he was sweeping the floor, when the bell jingled as the door opened. He turned around, a smile on his face to greet the customer, and faltered when he was exactly who it was.

The Prince himself.

Eddie could feel his cheeks turn red, but he composed himself as he straightened up and walked behind the counter, “What can I get for you?”

“Vanilla Frappuccino, please. The one you made the other day there? I can’t get it out of my head.” Richard spoke, and Eddie couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t just talking about the drink.

“Of course, no cookie this time?” Eddie asked as he got to work making the drink. Behind him, Richard chuckled and Eddie had to bite his lip to control the smile taking over his face.

“I think I’ve got enough sweetness right here,” he muttered and Eddie turned back around. The Prince was leaning against the counter, a smile on his lips that had Eddie’s knees buckling.

He cleared his throat and slid the lid onto the cup, passing it over the counter. A silence passed over them, yet it wasn’t uncomfortable. Eventually, Richard cleared his throat and held out his hand, “Richie.”

Eddie blinked, before he smiled and accepted the handshake. As their fingers brushed, a feeling shot up his spine and their eyes met. “Eddie,” he breathed.

“Eddie...Eds.”

Scrunching his face up, Eddie shook his head, “Don’t call me that, my name is _Eddie._ **”** He made sure to put extra emphasis on his name, just to be clear.

Richie just smirked and put a $10 on the counter, “I’ll see you around, Eds!” He called before taking his drink and leaving the coffee shop.

After that, Richie became a regular visitor at the coffee shop when Eddie was working. Bev and Mike would tease the shit out of him, commenting on the fact that Eddie had enamoured the future King of England.

Then, speaking of the devil, Richie walked through the door, the bell jingling in its wake. He looked much smarter than the previous times Eddie had seen him, dressed in a white shirt and a red waistcoat. He didn’t look at though he was about to order his usual vanilla frappe.

“Eds,” he hummed, learning against the counter with a more soft smile as opposed to his usual smirk.

“I told you not to call me that, Richie,” Eddie muttered, but was smiling regardless.

“You love it really,” Richie grinned, leaning a little closer.

“Off somewhere nice?”

Richie glanced down at his outfit and he smiled, “Hopefully, it all depends.”

Eddie tilted his head to the side confusion on his face, “Depends on what?”

“On whether you agree to go on a date with me or not?” Richie’s expression was a mix of nervous and hopeful. Eddie’s breath caught in his throat for a moment before he swallowed.

“Why not.”

Richie blinked, as if he couldn’t believe that Eddie had accepted his offer. He cleared his throat, stumbling over his words so bad that Eddie tried not to snort, “You- I mean- yes? You know that I’m- the prince of England right? I mean- we haven’t talked about it but- I didn’t want to just _assume_ ****that you knew-”

“Richie, I haven’t been living under a rock you know,” Eddie cut him off. “Prince Richard, future King of England right?”

The flush that took over Richie’s face was priceless, “I-I-”

“I get off work in twenty minutes.”

The smile that Richie broke into was much more worth it.

* * *

 

Richie was nervous, a feeling that was so foreign to him, that he had to ask Stan if he was sick. As the sun set, causing the winter chill to grow ten times more cold, Richie pulled his jacket a little firmer around his shoulders. It had only been ten minutes since he had asked Eddie out on a date, but they had been the longest ten minutes of his life.

And he still had ten more to go.

When Eddie finally did emerge from the coffee shop, waving goodbye to the two other colleagues who were cleaning up, Richie’s breath caught in his throat. He was wearing a jacket that reached his knees, a wooly scarf and a hat with a bobble on the top. His cheeks were coloured a light rose from the cold and his hands were stuffed into his pockets to keep them warm. Richie pushed himself off the car he was leaning against and met him halfway.

“Still sure about this?” He asked and Eddie raised a single eyebrow.

“Yes, I wouldn’t have agreed if I wasn’t sure, you know.” Eddie glanced around him at the car and then back to his face. “So, where are we going anyway?”

“At first, I was going to take you to this really fancy place but, what do you think about bowling?” Richie suggested with a small, hopeful smile.

Eddie broke into a wide grin, “I’ll beat your ass at bowling.”

“Hmm. I doubt that Eds.”

Laughter left both of their lips at the same time and they clambered into the car. The bowling alley wasn’t that far out of Campus, so it wasn’t long before Richie was parking up and rushing around the other side to open the passenger door for Eddie.

He was raised to be a gentleman okay? He’d be stupid not to use it to his advantage.

With a smile, he offered Eddie his hand, to which he accepted, climbing out of the car. Richie wasn’t sure if the light flush on Eddie’s cheeks was thanks to the brisk, cold New England air, or because he was blushing. Richie silently hoped that it was the latter, but he wasn’t about to push his luck.

“Ready to get your ass beaten, Richard?” Eddie teased, sticking his tongue out.

“Oh, it’s _on_.”

As they walked into the bowling alley, side by side, a few heads turned but thankfully the place was close to empty. Apparently, it was far too cold out to make the short journey outside of their dorm rooms. Richie paid for the lane and he turned to Eddie to ask for his shoe size.

“Eight,” Eddie supplied, but he had his nose turned up just a little.

“What’s wrong?” He asked after providing the lady behind the counter with the information for both Eddie and his own show size and thank her when he passed them over.

“Wearing shoes that other people have worn doesn’t bother you?” He asked, taking a seat by the lane and switching over his shoes.

“I’ve never really thought about it. I mean, sure it’s a little disgusting, but you’re only going to be wearing them for an hour at most,” Richie chuckled.

As he finished tying his shoelaces, Eddie stood up and lifted a bowling ball, holding it close to his chest. “Alright, your highness, ready to be beaten for the first time in your life?”

Richie faltered for just a moment as the words ‘your highness’ left Eddie’s lips. Many times before, the term caused him to feel uncomfortable, but when Eddie said it? When Eddie said it, Richie felt something different pass through his body. Clearing his throat, he leaned back on the chair and motioned towards the lane with his hand.

“Go right ahead.” He grinned smugly.

Eddie ended up winning every game, crushing Richie down into ground along with his dignity. Not that Richie minded, he would gladly be beaten by Eddie over and over again if it meant he got to have another date with him.

Eddie was smart, funny, witty, _gorgeous_ ****and Richie was completely and utterly smitten.

Mid way through Eddie’s victory dance he stopped and turned to Richie. Their eyes met and Eddie sent him this warm, soul melting smile that made Richie think that maybe, just maybe, Eddie was smitten too.

Richie insisted on driving Eddie back to his dorm, after all, it was below freezing outside. Once again, being the gentleman he was, he walked around and opened the door for Eddie to climb out.

“I had fun tonight,” Eddie spoke softly as he wrapped his arms around his waist to protect himself from the cold.

“I had fun too,” Richie agreed, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he wasn’t wearing gloves. “I would really like to do it again.”

This time, Richie was positive the redness on Eddie’s cheeks was a blush.

“I have this rule, I’ve gone by it since I was eighteen and I went on my first real date. It was, never kiss on the first date, it always ends in disaster.” Richie felt his heart pick up speed, but he remained silent, listening to what Eddie had to say. “Tonight, I say screw my stupid rule.”

Before Richie even had time to process the words, Eddie was pushing himself up on his tiptoes and pressing their lips together. Richie wasn’t frozen in place for long and he pulled his hands out of his pockets to wrap them around Eddie’s waist, pulling him closer as their lips moved together, soft and careful.

This wasn’t his first kiss, of course not, but this was the first kiss that had actually _meant_ something.

Eddie pulled away, inhaling a deep breath before he settled back on his feet, “I’ll see you around, Richie.”

The tone of his voice was soft, as though Eddie was sure Richie wouldn’t want to see him again. Before Eddie could walk away, Richie reached out and gentle caught his wrist, turning him back to face him. “I mean it, Eddie. I want to see you again. I want to go out with you again.”

There was a pause, before Eddie reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, “Put your number in.”

Quickly, Richie accepted the phone, tapping his digits into the mobile phone before he dialled his number, ensuring that he had Eddie’s number in return. “I’ll text you, Eds.”

“Goodnight, Richie.”

* * *

 

One date turned into two, which turned into three then four and soon both Richie and Eddie’s friends could tell that this was turning into something serious.

_Eddie_ ****could feel it was turning into something serious.

Privacy and secrecy was a must. Just because Richie was across the Atlantic Ocean, didn’t mean that he had escaped the press and the reporters. If anything, they had grown ten times worse. The American press wanted to capture every second of Richie’s time at Harvard, but luckily, the University had set up a deal with Richie’s parents so that no reporters were allowed inside the Campus grounds.

As their relationship blossomed, Eddie became more and more thankful for that arrangement.

However, when they were behind closed doors, it was a much different atmosphere. Richie was nothing like Eddie would have thought a royal would be, and he couldn’t have been more happy about it. Richie was smart, _insane_ , and he made Eddie laugh more than he had laughed in his entire life.

They were lying on the sofa in Richie’s dorm room, a random episode of _Friends_ ****playing on Netflix in the background. It was a few weeks after New Year and they had just come home from their third date. Eddie turned his head around, gaining Richie’s attention with a nudge of his shoulder. “Rich?”

Richie opened one eye and he covered his mouth as a yawn broke past his lips, “Mhm, yeah Eds?”  
****

**“** Are we courting?” At the term, Richie’s eyes shot open and Eddie snorted, covering his mouth to hide his giggles. “Well, isn’t that what you Brits call it?”

“We’re not living in the 14th Century anymore Eddie,” Richie teased back. “We call it dating too, you know.”

“Well,” Eddie hummed. “Are we dating?”

“You mean, are you my boyfriend?” Richie asked and Eddie nodded softly. “Well, I damn well hope so. I don’t do this with just anyone you know.”

Eddie stuck his tongue out and reached behind him, grabbing a nearby pillow and smacking it off of Richie’s side. Richie let out a squawk but grabbed his own pillow, making an attempt to whack Eddie with it, but Eddie was one step ahead, blocking the blow with his own pillow.

Giggles echoed through the dorm as they rushed around the area, hitting each other with the pillows whenever they got the chance to. Eddie gasped out a few breaths as he came to a halt, holding up his hands in surrender as they both dropped their pillows. Eddie assumed that they would return to the sofa and continue not watching _Friends_ , but Richie walked over to him wrapping his arms around his waist to tug him close.

“Rich?” Eddie breathed, his brow furrowing. Richie didn’t speak, instead he just leaned down, bringing their lips together in a soft, gentle kiss as one of his hands moved from Eddie’s waist and up to cup his face.

Eddie melted into his arms, bringing one of his own arms up and around Richie’s neck, burying his hand in his thick unruly curls. Richie sucked in a breath against his lips, before he pushed his own against them just a little harder, letting his tongue run over his bottom lip. Eddie let his mouth fall open, accepting Richie’s request to deepen the kiss as he tightening his grip in his hair as Richie tugged him closer.

When the need for air became too much to ignore, Eddie pulled away, but didn’t move an inch as Richie pressed their foreheads together, breaths mingling with each other. Richie’s eyes were as blue as the sea, and Eddie was more than willing to allow himself to drown in them. He couldn’t look away, even if he wanted to.

Richie trailed his fingers lightly down the side of Eddie’s cheek, causing a shudder to make its way down his spine, “Eds?”

“Yeah?” Eddie breathed out, scared if he spoke too loud, it would ruin the moment.

“Be my boyfriend?”

Even though they had _just_ discussed it earlier that evening, having Richie actually ask him to be his boyfriend caught Eddie off guard and his breathing hitched. A lump formed in his throat as he nodded his head, swallowing thickly and willing the tears that were building behind his eyelids not to fall.

“Yes, of course I will.”

* * *

Eddie let out a squeal as he felt Richie’s fingers dig into his sides, tickling him relentlessly as he squirmed against the sheets. Richie was above him, a wicked smile on his face, proud of himself for discovering that Eddie was ticklish.

“R-Richie! S-stop p-please!” Eddie giggled, tears leaking out of his eyes and trailing down his cheeks as he heaved.

“Say the magic word, Eds, and then I might consider stopping,” Richie hummed cheekily and Eddie groaned, body jerking as Richie tickled a sensitive part of his side.

“Oh-okay! I surrender! I surrender. You win!” He gasped out and sagged as Richie’s fingers stilled.

“What did I win exactly, Eds?”

“Twister! You’re the best Twister player I know!”

Richie moved back off of Eddie and onto his knees, smiling wide, “Too right I am baby. Don’t you ever forget it.”

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly and pushed himself up onto his elbows before sitting up properly. “Mhm, trust me I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about this any time soon.”

“Are you hungry?” Richie asked, moving to slip off the bed, but Eddie reached out and wrapped his fingers around his wrists.

“No, well I mean I am, but...I wanted to talk to you about something,” he whispered, a flush taking over his cheeks as he looked down at his feet.

“Is everything okay?”

Eddie nodded his head and shifted his body forward so he was straddling Richie’s lap, “Fine, great even. I’ve just been thinking that...I think I’m ready to take that next step with you.” As he spoke, he leaned forward and planted a string of kisses down the column of Richie’s throat.

“Eds…” Richie breathed out, and Eddie pulled his head back, their eyes meeting. “Did my tickling you really turn you on?”

“Actually, it was more watching you bend over playing twister that did,” Eddie mumbled and watched as Richie’s eyes sparkled.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of something in my life,” Eddie assured him, sealing his words with a kiss to Richie’s lips. He wrapped his arms around his neck tight, and gasped as Richie dipped him back onto the bed.

No words were spoken as they slowly undressed each other, sharing deep and passionate kisses as each item was removed. This definitely wasn’t Eddie’s first time, but it was the first time that his partner had made him feel safe and secure throughout the whole process. Usually, it was all about his partner’s pleasure, but with Richie it was about pleasing them both, about finding the spots on each other that drove them both insane.

Not to mention that Richie’s long fingers stretching him open was the best damn thing that Eddie had felt in his whole life.

“I’m ready, _fuck_ , Richie _please_.”

Richie pulled his fingers out slowly, brushing over his prostate once more, earning him a gasp. Eddie watched with flushed cheeks as Richie reached for a condom and opened the packet, rolling it over his hard member and lubing up. “You sure, love?”

Eddie nodded his head, some of his hair falling into his face as he let his legs fall open so Richie could slip between them. Richie hummed, hands wrapping around Eddie’s thighs and pulling him closer, lining up with his hole and pushing in slowly, gently.

It was deep, passionate and intimate. It was nothing that Eddie had ever felt before and it had his whole body trembling in ecstasy. Richie’s thrusts started off slow and built up into a rhythm in which both of their bodies were rocking into each other, desperate and aching for more.

In that moment they were just Eddie and Richie, Richie and Eddie, joint together in the most intimate way possible.

“I’m close, Eds.” Richie panted into his ear as his thrusts became more irregular. Eddie nodded, gasping out every time Richie grazed over his prostate and tightened his legs around his waist. His own orgasm was building and he was sure all it would take was a few more thrusts to make him come.  
****

**“** M’close too,” He whined, “Come for me, Rich.”

Richie moved a hand down and wrapped it around Eddie’s hard member, stroking him in time with his thrusts, “Come for me Eds.”

All it took was a few more strokes of Richie’s hand and one more thrust against his prostate for Eddie to come between them, body going as taut as a bow string. Richie thrust two more times, deep and hard before his own orgasm washed over him and he collapsed on top of Eddie, careful not to squish him.

Letting his breathing return to normal, Eddie let out a breath of a laugh, his whole body shaking. He glanced up, meeting Richie’s questioning gaze. “Holy shit.”

“What?” Richie whispered, raising an eyebrow.

“I just got fucked by the future King of England.”

Richie snorted and rolled out of bed, rolling off the condom and tying it before tossing it into the bin.  “Bloody hell, Eds, you really are a little minx aren’t you?” Eddie rolled over onto his side, a sleepy smile on his face as he watched Richie disappear into his bedroom and return with a washcloth, cleaning them both down. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, love.”

Eddie hummed, snuggling into Richie the minute he was clean from the drying come. His eyes drooped as he felt Richie’s fingers card through his brown locks, and it wasn’t long before he was fast asleep.

When Eddie woke up the following morning, it was to the smell of freshly cooking pancakes wafting through the room. He slipped out of the bed and reached for a pair of underwear that was laying on the ground and pulling them on, as well as one of Richie’s shirts.

He walked through into the kitchen, where Richie was standing with his back to him, absentmindedly flipping the pancakes. He was only wearing a pair of boxers and Eddie had to stop himself from licking his lips. He walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around Richie’s waist and pressing a kiss to the skin of his back.

Richie jumped, taking the frying pan off the heat and turning off the gas, turning around to wrap his arms around Eddie, pulling him closer, “Morning, love.”

“Mhm, morning,” Eddie hummed into his shoulder. He glanced up behind him, the view from Richie’s window giving Eddie a perfect view of the sunrise. “What a beautiful sunrise,” he mumbled to himself more than to Richie.

Richie pulled him back, his lips curled up in a soft, loving smile, “It might be a beautiful sun, but _you_ are my nouveau soleil,” he whispered.

Eddie’s whole body stiffened and he pulled away, his eyes wide in shock. “You speak _French_?”

“Well yes, I speak French, Spanish German, Italian, a little bit of Japanese, Dutch…the list goes on,” Richie replied, his smile turning into a smirk. “But French is my favourite, mon amour.”

Eddie ducked his head, a blush rising up on his cheeks as he reached up on his toes to press his lips to Richie’s cheek softly,  “You made breakfast?”

**“** You seem shocked?” Richie teased and turned back around to finish cooking the pancakes. Eddie jumped up to sit on the counter, watching him with soft eyes.

“I mean, don’t you have people to cook you breakfast?” Eddie asked and Richie laughed, nodding his head.

“Yes, but well, when you’re a teenager and you’re homeschooled, life gets a bit boring you know? So I taught myself how to cook.” He explained and popped the pancakes onto a plate, sitting them on the table. “Help yourself.”

“You know, you’re nothing like I thought you would be,” Eddie whispered.

“And how did you think I would be?”  
**“** Well, for as long as I can remember the American press have been obsessed with the British Royal family. You’re always in the papers, in magazines, on the news. I guess, I just thought you were the way my mother painted you to be. Stuck up and full of yourself.” Eddie picked up a pancake and took a bite. “But you’re definitely not.”

Richie hummed and pulled Eddie closer, arm around his waist and the other cupping his cheek as he brought their lips together. Eddie breathed out through his nose, pushing up on his tiptoes and returning the kiss, keeping it soft and sweet.

It was the clearing of a voice that broke them apart and Eddie jumped back, face bright red. In the doorway was a man around the same age as Richie, with curly blonde-brown hair. He was staring at them with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on his face. “Now I understand why you haven’t been answering my calls.”

“Stan my man, ever heard of knocking?” Richie asked, keeping his arm around Eddie’s waist to pull him closer. “Stan, this is Eddie, Eddie this is Stan.”

“Hi,” Eddie offered the man a wave and Stan smiled back, this time a genuine one.

“It’s nice to finally meet you and not just hear about you from Richie all the time,” Stan replied. Eddie glanced up at Richie, who had his free hand around the back of his neck.

“You talk about me?”

“You’re kind of hard not to talk about Eds,” Richie defended himself. “You’re pretty amazing.”

Eddie felt a flush rise on his cheeks and as Richie pressed a kiss to his hair, he was pretty sure that this was what it felt like to fall in love with someone.

* * *

 

February at college was the month of love. All over the campus people were selling stuffed bears, cards with hearts on them, passing out roses to couple who would walk past and arranging bouquets of flowers. All of the restaurants had been booked out for weeks on the evening of the 14th of February and the ‘All You Need Is Love’ spotify playlist had been playing through the speakers in the hallways of every building since February 1st.

Eddie hated Valentines day, it was cheesy, tacky and he always believed that there shouldn’t need to be just one special day for you to tell your significant other that you love them. You should tell them everyday.

It was all just one big money-making scam.

Flowers were at least $20 more expensive in the run up to Valentine’s Day, the restaurants up their prices on food and since when did the wine cost $5 more than it did yesterday?

So when Richie asked him if he wanted to go out and celebrate the holiday, Eddie shook his head and asked if they could have a quiet night in instead, ordering take out and watching crappy movies. The smile that made its way onto Richie’s face told Eddie that he had made the right decision.

“You don’t like Valentine’s Day either?” Eddie asked.

“It’s not that I don’t like the holiday,” Richie hummed, wrapping an arm around Eddie’s shoulders as he sat down on the sofa, pulling him closer and pressing a kiss to his hair. “It’s just, everywhere is so _busy_. I mean, I know that I could get us a place if you had wanted to go out, and I would have taken you out without complaints, but the idea of it just being us here? That’s more appealing than sitting in a crowded restaurant with overpriced wine and food.”

“I knew I kept you around for a reason.”

The teasing smile on Eddie’s lips, caused Richie to smile down at him. He leaned down, brushing their lips together. “Chinese or Thai?”

Eddie let out a breath against Richie’s mouth, thinking about the choice. “Mhm, I think Chinese?”

With one light press to Eddie’s lips, Richie pulled away and reached for his phone, “Chinese it is!”

As Richie ordered the food, Eddie settled back against the sofa, letting his eyes fall closed. He felt his body shift a few moments later, as Richie slid in behind him, pulling him close. He had never felt so comfortable with another person than he did with Richie, he felt as though he could tell Richie anything and he wouldn’t be judged for it.

They had been dating for three months now, and it had been the best three months of Eddie’s life. He had told Richie about his amazing relationship with his father, and his not so amazing relationship with his mother. He had told Richie that the reason he started university so late was because his father had been involved in a really serious car accident, and for a while it was touch and go. He had to learn how to walk again, and had to have a lot of physical and emotional therapy. Eddie had been so scared to go to university, that he had waited until his dad was healthy again before he finally applied.

Richie had pulled him into his lap, wrapping his arms tight around his body as he pressed kisses to his hair and face, whispering soft words of comfort into his ear.

After Eddie had opened up to Richie, Richie followed suit, telling Eddie about how he was raised in the public eye. His first steps, first words, all documented by the media. He told him about the time he was three and ran naked through the palace gardens during a charity tea party.

“ _My parents thought it was hilarious, but that didn’t stop the nanny from scolding me.”_

They may have come from two completely separate worlds, but right then, they were finding peace with each other.

Peace, as well as love.

As Richie settled him back against his chest as they waited for the food to arrive, Eddie let out a sigh as he felt Richie’s long fingers move through his soft hair. With a hum, Eddie reached a hand up behind him, twirling one of Richie’s curls around his finger softly. They had lit a few candles, giving the room a soft glow and the tv was on a low volume but in that moment it was just them.

Eddie tilted his head back, as Richie moved his head forwards, their eyes locking. Silence overtook them for just a moment, before Richie smiled, leaning his head a little further down to brush his lips over Eddie’s forehead. When he pulled away, he licked his lips, “You know I love you, right?”

Eddie’s smile softened, a lump forming in his throat as he nodded his head, just softly. “Yeah, I know. I love you too.”

The happiness that Eddie felt in that moment was so overwhelming, and as Richie leaned down to bring him into a loving kiss, Eddie knew one thing:  
He wanted that moment to last forever.

* * *

 The moment lasted another three months, and then it was shattered into a million pieces. It was mid May, and it was Beverly’s birthday. Over the course of the past few months, Richie had become more than acquainted with Eddie’s friends; Bev, Mike, Bill and Ben, and Eddie had become close with Richie best friend, Stan.

Although he wasn’t the only one that had gotten close to Stan.

When Eddie had first introduced them, Mike had taken a shining to Richie’s close friend, and now, they were almost just as inseparable as Eddie and Richie were.

On the night of Bev’s birthday, she had insisted they all go out dancing at a very popular club a few minutes outside of Campus. At first, both Eddie and Richie were hesitant, because if they were outside of Campus, it meant that the press had free reign on photographs if they were caught.

Yet, Bev managed to wear the both of them down with her wide eyes and fluttery eyelashes.

Damn her.

The club was popular for a reason, it played great music, offered relatively cheap alcohol and was exceptionally wide and spacious. It had a high ceiling, which reduced the stuffy feeling that Eddie usually hated when he went to clubs, as well as the light colours so it didn’t feel too claustrophobic.

The seven of them had an amazing night, even though both Eddie and Richie had decided earlier on that night to keep their distance between each other. After all, they weren’t ready to be made known to the public yet.

Eddie wished that he had known then, that it didn’t matter whether he was ready or not. The one thing he would come to learn about the public and the press: _they always get what they want._

As the night wore on, Eddie found himself wanting to be intimate with Richie more and more. The heat from the club was showing in his curls, which were damp and sticking to his forehead. The shirt he wore clung to his body in all the right places and his pants were so sinfully tight, Eddie was convinced he dressed like that just to mess with him.

Leaning over, interrupting Richie’s conversation with Ben, Eddie whispered into his ear, “Want to get out of here?”

Immediately, as though a switch had been flicked, Richie twisted his whole body around and stood up, gently taking a hold of Eddie’s wrist, “I thought you’d never ask.”

With a very brief goodbye to the others, who were still dancing away, they headed to the door and into the street. The campus was only a few short minutes walk away, but as they passed an alley, Eddie gasped as Richie pulled him down it by his wrist and pushed him up against the wall.

“Rich-”

“Shh, it’s alright, just relax. Don’t think about it,” Richie breathed against his skin, lips trailing a path down his jaw to his neck and sucking a mark there.

“I- oh god- Richie we...we shouldn’t!” Eddie gasped out, his eyes falling closed as the pleasure of Richie’s lips against his skin, brushing and sucking against his sweet spots.

“I’ve wanted to do this all night.” The lips were moving back up his neck, and his jaw to hover over his own lips. “I hated not being able to touch you, to dance with you.”

“I-”

“Can I kiss you?” Richie breathed, leaning in a little closer and Eddie never could deny Richie anything. He nodded his head softly, his lips parting in a gasp as Richie brought their mouths together.

It was like no other kiss they had shared before, it was passion, it was desire, it was need. As their lips met, over and over, sparks shot down Eddie’s spine. As Richie’s hands moved from their place on Eddie’s waist down to his ass, he let out a squeak, yet he didn’t stop Richie moving them around his thighs and hiking him up. Eddie wrapped his arms around Richie’s neck, a hand moving into Richie’s hair as their kisses turned deeper, dirtier.

“Rich-” Eddie gasped, pulling away for air and whimpering as Richie’s lips trailed down his neck once more, this time on the other side. Their hips were rolling together, grinding to create a friction that was beginning to cause a problem in Eddie’s pants.

By the feel of things, Richie’s too.

“Yeah?”

“Take me home, Richie,” he breathed and Richie dropped him back to his feet, fixing their clothes before taking his hand and leading him out of the alleyway.

It was a sound of a familiar ring tone that woke Eddie up the following morning, and he pulled the sheets further up over his head to block it out. It was a Sunday, why were they being called so early on a Sunday?

The motion of Richie getting out of bed, focused his attention and he listened carefully as he pulled on a pair of boxers from the floor and answer the call. “Lottie, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call at...six thirty in the morning. Not that I don’t enjoy seeing your lovely face, but you know, time difference.”

So it was a FaceTime call.

“Richie, have you seen the news? The British public are going insane, so I can only imagine what the American press is like,” Charlotte spoke through the phone and Eddie froze still. Richie inhaled sharply and rustled on the bed.

“What are you talking about Lottie, you have to elaborate a little here,” Richie mumbled, and Eddie could just picture him sitting back with his nose pinched between his thumb and forefinger.

“Last night, you were caught snogging some guy in an alley outside of a club,” Charlotte spoke and Eddie covered his mouth as his eyes blew wide. “Before you panic, none of us are _angry_ ****per say. I mean, we know you’re bisexual, we just- we thought you would have been a little more careful.”

Tears built up in Eddie’s eyes and very carefully, he pulled the sheets up over his face. As he did so, Richie’s head shot to his and his face was nothing but apologetic, “Eds…”

“Richie?” Charlotte’s voice came back through the phone, “Are you?”

“Eddie,” Richie whispered, clearing his throat. “His name is Eddie.”

“I’m going to get mum and dad,” she said softly and Eddie could just see from where he was sitting, as she vanished from the screen.

“Eds I’m so sorry,” Richie spoke as soon as she was gone. “I didn’t know we had been caught- I swear I didn’t know.”

Eddie couldn’t be mad with Richie, after all, they were both to blame for the stunt down the alley the night before. They both knew the risks and yet chose to ignore them. “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you.”

Carefully, he reached for his phone and typed Richie’s name into the search bar, his eyes widened at the picture that lit up his screen. Eddie had his legs wrapped around Richie’s waist, fingers in his hair and around his neck. Richie’s hands were placed on Eddie’s ass, his lips attached to his neck as Eddie’s head was tilted back.

On instinct, Eddie brought his hand up to brush over the very same hickey that Richie was giving him in the picture.

“Oh god, Richie,” he breathed, passing him his phone and watching Richie’s expression. He knew that Richie must have been used to having compromising photos of him leaked to the press, but Eddie wasn’t. This was completely new territory for Eddie.

“Eds, talk to me, come on,” Richie reached out to tug Eddie closer and he went without protest, wrapping his arms around Richie’s neck and sliding into his lap. “It’s going to be okay, I swear everything is going to be okay.”

“Rich-” Eddie didn’t get to finish his sentence, as the screen in front of him was now once more filled with a young woman. Eddie immediately recognised the girl as Princess Charlotte, Richie’s younger sister and second in line to the throne.

As she took in the scene before her, her eyes softened and a small smile rose up on her lips, “Mum and dad are here.”

Before Richie could say anything to Eddie, he slipped off of his lap and reached down to pick up Richie’s shirt that was laying on the floor, pulling it over his head and padding towards the bathroom. He wanted to give Richie and his parents some privacy, and if Richie wanted to introduce him to them later, well Eddie would cross that bridge when he came to it.

He didn’t shut the door properly though, sliding down the wall and listening in to the conversation, swallowing back his tears.

“Mum, dad. I know this looks bad, but I swear, it’s really not that bad.”

There was a pause and Eddie held his breath, until a male voice spoke through the camera. “Is it serious?”

“Yes. Yes it’s serious. It’s very serious.” Richie’s voice was firm and Eddie felt tears spring into his eyes as he listened. “I love him. I’m _in_ love with him.”

Another pause. “Then we’ll fix it,” this time a female voice spoke. “We’ll make sure that the both of you are protected and that your relationship is respected.”

“His name is Eddie,” Richie provided. “Edward- and he, he just _gets_ me. Like no-one else does.”

Slowly, Eddie opened the door, his hand moving up to brush the stray tears away. Richie turned his head and caught his gaze, then, with the motion of his hand, beckoned him forward.

“Is he there with you now?” The male voice spoke, much clearer in Eddie’s ears.

Richie nodded his head, “Yeah.” He looked back up at Eddie. “Would you like to meet my parents?”

Eddie hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded his head. Just as he took a few steps to climb back onto the bed, his own phone began buzzing from the nightstand. Frowning, Eddie leaned over to see who was calling him, and a jolt of fear ran down his spine as he saw exactly who it was.

His mother.

“I- I have to take this,” he whispered apologetically at Richie, but he nodded and turned back to his parents, bidding them farewell with a thank you.

Eddie, with shaky hands, pressed _accept_ ****on the phone and brought it to his ear. “Hi mam-”

“ _Edward Kaspbrak._ ****Never in my entire life have I been more disappointed in you than I have right now. Not only were you in the arms of another _man_ , but that man just happens to be a member of the Royal Family and now your photo is plastered all over Good Morning America!”

“Mama I-”

“I wasn’t finished. How could you do this to me Edward? How could you do this to your mother? First you leave for college, leave your father and I to fend for ourselves _and_ pay your tuition and now you embarrass us by frolicking around with _scum_. I hope you are aware that I am going to have to go to our church with my head down as all anyone will be able to say is; Sonia, your son is a spawn of the devil.” Eddie covered his mouth, holding back the sobs as his mother screamed down the phone at him about how wrong and unorthodox his sexual preferences were.

“Now, since you had to go and make a complete fool out of me and your father, not to mention yourself, you will come home and attend Derry Community College. I refuse to pay for your tuition whilst I know you are going around sleeping with that...I don’t even know what’s gotten into you Edward. You _know_ how I feel about the royal family. They are scum who think they are better than everyone else and I will _not_ have you be associated with them. Do you understand me, Edward?”

Eddie couldn’t form words. He didn’t know what to say. After all, his mother was paying for his schooling, and if she decided that she was no longer willing, then he would have to come home. A choked sob bubbled up in his throat, “Yes m-mama.”

“Oh stop your blubbering. You did this to yourself Edward. You only have yourself to blame. Not me, not your father. Pack up your things, we will come to pick you up this afternoon and bring you home.”

“Mama-”

The phone line went dead.

A sob broke out of Eddie’s throat and he felt Richie’s arms wrap around his waist, holding him tight and whispering soothing words into his ear. Eventually, they moved to the bed and pulled the covered around them, blocking out the world and their disregard for privacy.

It was in Richie’s arms that Eddie fell fast asleep, knowing that it was the last time he would be able to do so.

* * *

 It was Eddie’s familiar ringtone that woke Richie up from the mid morning nap they had taken. Eddie was clinging to him like a koala, and there was no way Richie was going to wake him up, so he reached over and picked up his phone, answering the call and pressing it to his ear .

“Eddie’s phone, he’s sleeping at the moment but can I take a message?”

In a way, Richie hoped it was his mother, so he could give her a piece of his mind, yet he also wasn’t sure she would listen to a single thing he had to say, and it would only make the situation worse.

So when a deep, male voice came through the other line, Richie sighed in relief. “I’m going to assume you must be Richard. Am I correct?”

Clearing his throat, Richie hummed, “Yes, this is he.”

“I’m Frank, Eddie’s father,” the voice spoke and Richie tensed up. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to yell at you like my wife did to my son a few hours ago. I wasn’t at home or that never would have happened. I am so sorry. Is Eddie alright?”

“He’s asleep right now, but in all honesty sir, I’m not sure he is alright.”

“I assumed as much. His mother, Sonia, she can be tough and sometimes that is inexcusable.” Richie

opened his mouth to speak, but Frank continued, “When Eddie wakes up, tell him to give me a call. Tell him not to worry, he’s not being pulled out of school and we’re not coming to get him this afternoon. Would you do that for me?”

“Yes, of course I will.” Richie nodded his head, even though Frank couldn’t see him.

“And Richard?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Take care of my boy.”

Richie felt his face break into a smile and he cleared his throat, “I will sir. I promise.”

“Please, call me Frank.”

The call ended and Richie sat the phone back on the bedside table before he leaned back and pulled Eddie back into his arms, pressing soft, light kisses to the skin under the sensitive part of his ear. Eddie mumbled, twisting in his arms until his head was buried in the crook of his neck, lips pressed against the base of Richie’s throat. Richie could tell he was awake, but it was as though Eddie didn’t want to address it.

“Mon amour,” Richie whispered, reaching up to brush his fingers through his soft hair. Speaking French was always a good way to calm Eddie down, Richie had discovered.  “It’s okay. You’re not going anywhere.”

Slowly, Eddie pulled his head back, eyes immediately finding Richie’s. There were bags under his eyes, red rimmed from crying and the sight just broke Richie’s heart. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean, is that your father called, and he told me to tell you not to worry. You’re not going anywhere,” Richie clarified. Eddie sat up a little, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

“I- I don’t understand? My mama-”

“Your father said that you have to ignore everything she said, love. They’re not coming to get you, you’re not being removed from school. You’re staying right here, with me.” He reached up and brushed the pads of his thumb over Eddie’s cheekbones. “I love you.”

Eddie pushed himself forward, sliding their lips together as Richie tightened his grip around his waist, “I love you too,” he mumbled against Richie’s mouth, pulling away just a little. “I’m going to go for a shower, you coming?”

“Normally, I would never pass up such an offer, but I have to make a very quick phone call home first,” Richie whispered, planting a light kiss to Eddie’s nose.

“Okay, I won’t be long.” With that, Richie watched Eddie disappear into the bathroom. He waited until the shower was running before he pulled out his phone, calling his parents once more.

Thanks to his sister, his parents had bought cell phones in order to communicate with him when he was abroad. Charlotte had given them lessons but deep down, Richie knew they were completely clueless about modern day technology.

It was his mother who answered the call, her soft voice ringing in his ear. “Richard, is everything alright?”

“I just wanted to say thank you. I’m sorry I had to go so abruptly earlier...something came up.” Richie explained, leaning back against the headboard of the bed.

“You’re welcome, do you want to talk about it?” His mother was always so attentive, so caring and it made Richie’s heart swell at how loved he was, regardless of his status.

“I want you to meet him, Eddie I mean. When school finishes up for the summer I want us to fly out and meet you, or maybe you could fly out here if that’s easier for you?” Richie bit his lip as he waited for his mother’s response.

“We would always welcome you home Richard, and if Eddie is as important to you as you say he is, then we most definitely want to meet him. Yet, your father and I have been thinking about coming to visit you and Stanley, along with your sister, so maybe a trip to the States would be best?” God. Richie loved his mother.

“Yes, maybe if we plan it right, you’ll be able to meet Eddie’s father too.”

“Not his mother?” She asked, and Richie could just see her brow furrowed.

“Eddie’s mother is...a complicated case. I suppose we will just have to wait and see what happens.”

His mother hummed on the other side of the phone, “Earlier...when you were talking about him. I have never heard you speak so passionately about another person before. Eddie...he really does mean a lot to you doesn’t he?”

Richie felt a smile make its way onto his lips and he let out a breath, “Yeah, mum, he...he is the best thing in my life. I love him and I just know, that you, dad and Lottie are going to love him too. I can  _feel_ ****it.” In the background, Richie heard the shower turn off and he swallowed, “So you’ll come here? You’ll meet Eddie?”

“Oh my darling, of course we will.”

He ended the call with his mum just as Eddie came out of the bathroom, hair wet, dressed in one of Richie’s shirts. Even across the room, Richie could smell the strawberry shampoo he used and the raspberry scented body wash. Eddie smelled like a dream. “Hey, love.”

“Hey, did you call your parents?” He asked, padding over to the bed and climbing on, settling between Richie’s legs, head on his shoulder.

“Mhmm, I did,” Richie planted a kiss to Eddie’s wet hair, inhaling the scent. “You smell divine.”

Eddie tilted his head up, “I’m sorry about my mother,” he whispered. “About the things she said about you. They were so disrespectful.”

Shaking his head, Richie pulled him closer, “Don’t apologise. I’ve been called much worse than that, believe me. Remember, not everyone loves the royals, there are people who think we should be abolished. I can handle a few nasty slurs, what concerns me more, is the way she treated _you_. I know you’ve told me about your relationship with her as opposed to your father, who is very nice might I add, but hearing her tone towards you first hand? It broke my heart.”

“I’m used to it, I really am, I just didn’t expect her to be so...harsh with me. I know it must have come as a shock, to find her son plastered all over the morning news in an embrace with the future King of England but...I hoped maybe she would have had a little more cool about her. I guess not.” Eddie just sighed, settling against Richie’s chest, humming as Richie’s fingers moved to twirl around one of his curls. “I like that...when you play with my hair.”

Richie grinned, “Then I’ll keep doing it, until you tell me to stop.”

“I won’t.”

They lay in silence, one of Richie’s fingers playing with his hair, and the other hand running up and down his spine. “I asked my parents to come out in the summer to meet you.”

Eddie looked up at him, his eyes wide, “You- in person?”

**“** Yes, is that...is that alright with you?” Richie asked, his voice softening. Maybe Eddie didn’t want to

meet his parents. Maybe Eddie wasn’t ready for that step in their relationship. “If it’s not please tell me and I’ll-”

“I’d like to meet them,” Eddie cut him off. “I want to meet them. I’m just...nervous I guess?”

“You have nothing to be nervous about, my love, nothing at all. They already love you because _I_ ****love you. They aren’t intimidating, and they are going to see just how amazing and special you are.” Richie assured him. “They also want to meet your parents, well, your father at least.”

Eddie bit his lip, swallowing thickly and Richie couldn’t help but wonder what was running through his head. “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” He eventually whispered. “I mean, this isn’t just a college fling.”

Richie’s face twisted and he pressed a kiss to Eddie’s forehead with the shake of his head, “Oh chéri, you were _never_ ****just going to be a college fling. Since the moment I met you, and you can ask Stanley this, I knew that I was totally and utterly fucked.”

* * *

As Spring finally turned into Summer, Eddie and Richie said goodbye to their first year of university, and hello to the relaxation of Summer Vacation. After the release of the photograph in May, that thrust Eddie into the spotlight of not only the American public, but the British public too.

Scratch that, he was in the spotlight of the whole damn world now.

Magazines wrote articles about whether the Crown will allow a same sex marriage. They asked questions about who would carry on the bloodline if Richie were to marry a man. They wondered if any children they would have would be entitled to the throne, or if it would pass to Princess Charlotte and her children.

The public were thinking about their future even before Richie and Eddie were.

It also wasn’t the same as Celebrity news, unlike those stories, this didn’t fade away into the background. There was always someone talking about it, always a camera on them whenever they left campus hand in hand. Richie tried his best to keep him away from the cameras and prying eyes, but even his best efforts were proven futile.

If the press wanted a picture, they were going to go to extreme lengths to get it.

When the news of King Wentworth, Queen Margaret and Princess Charlotte visit reached the ears of the public, it was as though the whole of the state of Massachusetts went into a frenzy. Usually, when royalty came across the sea, it was to a meeting with the president, or for something of importance, not to meet the boyfriend of the Prince.

Yet here they were, stepping out of a state car outside of Richie’s dorm room. Eddie’s heart was hammering in his chest, and he gripped onto Richie’s hand tighter, so tight that he was sure it must be hurting him. Stanley was there also, stepping forward to help the Queen out of the car, and then the Princess, kissing both of their hands and addressing them appropriately.

“Your Majesties, your Highness. It’s very nice to see you again. Did you have a pleasant flight?” Eddie had never heard Stan speak so formal, and it made Eddie’s stomach swoop. Was that how he was supposed to speak to them? Did he have to bow and address them as ‘Your Majesty’?

“Oh Stanley, please, enough with the formalities we are not in front Parliament.” A chuckled laugh came from the man exiting the car. He was the spitting image of Richie, tall, dark hair, piercing blue eyes. Eddie knew right away that this was the King.

“Apologies sir, it’s just habit,” Stan nodded his head and stepped back, allowing Richie to step forward, tugging Eddie with him.

Before any of them could do anything, Richie was suddenly knocked backwards by a body colliding with his own. Princess Charlotte was clinging to her brother for dear life, “You know, I find you so damn annoying but have I missed you Richard,” she grinned and Richie laughed.

“Nice to see you too, _Charlotte_.” He hugged her back and let her go, turning to the King and Queen. “Mum, dad. Good flight?”

“Oh yes, Charlotte made us watch a few episodes of _How I Met Your Mother_ , claiming it would get us into the ‘American Spirit’ before she put on _Mamma Mia_. Not a film I ever imagined I would watch but...it was rather entertaining.” The Queen provided and reached forward to hug her son. “Is it possible that you’ve grown since September?”

“It’s all the hot steamy sex I’ve been having mum, really stretches me out,” Richie shot and he heard everyone, apart from Eddie, groan at the comment.

Eddie felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment and he buried his head into his hand. Why did Richie have to bring up their sex lives to his parents, before he even got the chance to introduce himself. Next to him he heard the Princess laugh, “Richie don’t be so crude for goodness sake!” Eddie dropped his hand as she came to a stop in front of him. “Nice to meet you Eddie, I’m Charlotte but please just call me Lottie. I have no idea how you can put up with my big brother in all honesty. He’s completely mad.”

A smile broke out on Eddie’s face and he somewhat relaxed, “Well he is a bit of a handful at times.”

Richie mock gasped, bringing his hands to his chest, “Edward I’m hurt. How dare you side with my sister!”

Eddie opened his mouth to respond, but the words died in his throat as the King took a step towards him and held out his hand, “Went, it’s a pleasure to meet the man who stole my son’s heart.” A flush, darker than the one from before, coloured Eddie’s cheeks and he accepted his hand. “This is my wife, Maggie. Please, no need for formalities, we aren’t here on official business. We are simply here to meet you.”

Went, Maggie and Lottie. It was as though they were just three regular people and this was just a normal meeting, just like any family would have with their child’s significant other. The atmosphere was relaxed and Eddie slotted back against Richie’s side without feeling uncomfortable.

“Will your father be joining us this weekend, Eddie?” Maggie asked as they made their way inside Richie’s dorm.

“I hope so, he told me he was planning on driving down on Saturday morning to meet us for dinner in the evening,” Eddie replied as Richie opened the door to his dorm room. The expressions on each member of Richie’s family was something worth taking a picture of.

“What?” Richie asked smugly, leaning against the spotless counter.

“It’s...it’s  _clean_. I was expecting to walking into a dump, but this is...spotless,” Lottie commented as she brushed her finger along the counter, bringing it up clean. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”

“Actually, Eddie cleaned the place as he didn’t want you walking in to what it looked like less than an hour ago. So in answer to your question, Eddie is what’s happened to me.” Richie shrugged and blew Eddie a kiss, which he couldn’t help but reach his hand up to catch.

Charlotte covered her mouth in a silent squeal, “That was the cutest bloody thing I’ve ever seen!”

“Language, Charlotte,” Went checked and Lottie shrugged.

“Sorry dad, but I couldn’t help it, they were just too adorable.”

As the excitement settled down, Richie put on Netflix and the atmosphere shifted into something much more relaxed and...domestic. If Eddie didn’t know that he was breathing the same air as the King and Queen of England, then he never would have guessed.

They stayed for a few hours, before the jet lag and the long haul flight caught up with them, and they made their way back to the hotel. Before Charlotte left, she turned around and wrapped her arms around Eddie’s shoulders, hugging him tight. “How does it feel?”

Eddie frowned, tilting his head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re sleeping with the future King of England,” she grinned, a teasing smirk on her lips. “How does it feel?”

Turning his head, Eddie watched as Richie hugged his parents goodbye, promising to see them tomorrow for dinner and he smiled, “Pretty damn amazing.”

Lottie laughed and pulled out of the hug, meeting her parents out the door and heading down the stairs with one final wave. Richie closed over the door and met Eddie’s eyes immediately, “So? What do you think?”

Slowly, Eddie walked over to him, wrapping his arms around Richie’s neck, “I think, that I love you very much, and I think your parents and sister are amazing.”

A relieved look passed over Richie’s features and he leaned down to capture Eddie’s lips in a kiss, “I love you too, mon amour. I love you too.”

“You really love using the French against me don’t you?” Eddie asked with a soft smile.

“Of course, I know what it does to you _Mon trésor._ **”**

Just as Eddie was about to lean up and kiss Richie again, his phone started ringing. With a sigh, he picked it up, noticing it was his dad calling. “Hey dad.”

“Hey kid, everything go alright today?” Eddie smiled at his father’s interest in how his meeting with Richie’s parents went.

“Great dad, they are really nice. They can’t wait to meet you tomorrow. You’re still coming right?”

“Yes, yes I’m still coming. That is why I called you though. I’m afraid I won’t be coming alone.” His tone was solemn and Eddie knew what was coming.

“Dad, no.”

“Your mother insisted. She wouldn’t take no for an answer Eddie. I’m sorry.” Frank sighed down the phone. “I’ll try and keep her comments at bay.”

“Dad, dad please. Listen to me, she’s going to say something insulting and they are going to change their minds about me.” Panic was rising up in Eddie’s chest, but it dimmed a little as he felt Richie’s arms wrap around his waist, tugging him close.

“They won’t,” Richie breathed into his ear. “Let her come, my parents will not change their mind about you. They already love you.”

“If that’s the case, then maybe they aren’t as nice as you make them out to be,” Frank spoke softly down the line. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, hell, this isn’t what _I_ wanted. But it’s happening and I wanted to pre-warn you before hand.”

Eddie pinched his nose and sucked in a few deep breaths, “Okay dad,” he whispered. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Of course. Love you.”

“Love you, dad.”

Eddie hung up the phone and rested his head on the cool counter, turning it slightly to meet Richie’s eyes, “It looks like you’re about to meet my mother.”

Richie just grinned, sending Eddie a wicked smile. “Bring it on, love. Bring it on.”

The following evening found Eddie and Richie, as well as Went, Maggie and Charlotte all sitting in a secluded room of a very expensive restaurant. Right away, Eddie knew his mother would have something to say about that. He also wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to drag him back to Derry kicking and screaming.

His leg bounced up and down under the table, and Richie placed a hand on his knee to still him. “It’s going to be fine, we are all on your side remember? If she tries anything, we’ll just ask her to leave.”

The second the words were out of Richie’s mouth, the door opened and Eddie’s eyes landed on the figures of his father and his mother. His father was dressed in a nice suit, but his mother? His mother was dressed in everyday clothes, it wasn’t even an outfit she would wear to church. Quickly, he stood up and rushed over to greet them at the door, hugging his dad and turning to his mother.

Instead of greeting him, she simply passed him her coat and walked on past, taking a seat at the table. Eddie blinked a few times, but hung up her jacket on the stand and walked back over to the table. “Dad, Mama, this is Richie-”

“I know who they are Edward. I don’t need you to introduce us,” His mother hissed and his father’s head shot to his wife.

“Sonia. What did we talk about in the car?”

“You can play pleasantries all you want Frank, but I’m not going to sit back and play the game of happy families.” She sent a glare down the table, eyeing up each member of Richie’s family. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Maggie raise her eyebrow just slightly, and Lottie had a look of shock cross over her expression.

“Mama-”

“Shut up, Edward,” She cut him off. “Now, I want to make this perfectly clear. I don’t like any of you. Royalty is something that should have been abolished years ago. How do you feel? Sitting so high on your pedestal while everyone else bows to you and answers to your beck and call? Not to mention your disgrace of a son. How do you expect to gain heirs when your son is in bed with a man? You’re bringing your own bloodline to an end-”

“Now just hang on a moment,” Went spoke up, his voice filled with something Eddie couldn’t place.

“Do not interrupt me. You are in America now, and over here we have something called ‘Freedom of Speech’. You can’t use your bloodline to quiet me here.” Sonia spat, eyes dark and Eddie could see his father had had enough.

They hadn’t even been in the room five minutes.

“There is also a thing called respect Sonia, and you are showing anything but,” Frank stated, his eyes dark. “I told you, we are here to meet Eddie’s boyfriend and his parents, not the King and Queen of England.”

Sonia laughed, a humourless laugh that sent chills down Eddie’s spine, “This is a farce. Edward is clearly playing a game to rile me up. He doesn’t actually _love_ ****this man, our son is not a fag. Can you imagine the disgrace? The looks I will have to endure at my weekly knitting class if Edward were actually to _mean_ ****any of this. It’s time for the game to end, Edward.”

Everyone at the table had gone silent. Eddie couldn’t breathe and the hand that Richie had placed on his knee had frozen in place. His father’s jaw was dropped in shock and Sonia looked far too smug with herself.

“You are spiteful.”

All the heads at the table turned at the same time, landing on Lottie, whose eyes were hard and firm. “You say that America has freedom of speech? Then here is my piece. You have just managed to insult not only every member of my family in less than five minutes, but also your own husband _and_ your son. You treat them as though they are your servants and yet, you accuse us of standing on a pedestal? You are a bitter, nasty woman and I don’t know how someone as amazing and friendly as Eddie could have come from you.”

“Now listen here lady-” Sonia tried to interrupt her but Lottie wasn’t having it.

“Do not interrupt me,” she spat out. “Now, if you are done insulting my brother and his _boyfriend_ ****I’d appreciate it if you would kindly, and I am sorry for my language here dad, fuck off.”

Sonia whipped her head around to Frank, “Are you just going to let her speak to me like that?”

Frank met her gaze, “You brought it on yourself, Sonia.” Then, with one final glare, Sonia was up from her seat and exiting the room. Immediately, everyone relaxed and Eddie covered his mouth to hold back a sob. Frank shook his head, “I am so sorry....that was not what was meant to happen.”

Went shook his head, “It’s alright, yes, we were shocked but that doesn’t change our minds towards you or your son. We would very much like to continue the dinner.”

Continue the dinner they did and by the end of the evening, Frank had Went, Maggie, Charlotte and most of all, Richie, wrapped around his finger. As Eddie walked out to see him into the taxi to take him back to the hotel, he wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

“Thanks dad,” Eddie mumbled.

“Think I made a good enough impression?” Frank joked and Eddie nodded his head with a laugh.

“I think so. Will you be alright tonight?” He asked, worried about his dad having to face his mother’s wrath.

“I can handle your mother. After all, I have done so for the past twenty four years haven’t I?” Eddie swallowed. In that moment he had so much love and respect for his father. “And Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“He’s a keeper,” Frank nodded before he climbed into the taxi.

As it rounded the corner, Eddie smiled softly and whispered to himself. “Yeah. Yeah he is.”

* * *

It was after Christmas, a few weeks before their first anniversary that Eddie and Richie had their first real fight. Well, it wasn’t really a _fight_ ****as such, but more of an event that put some strain on their simple relationship. Eddie was studying for an exam that made up a quarter of his grade, which meant that his focus was completely trained on that and nothing more. He knew Richie understood, after all it was his degree they were talking about here.

He had been studying with Ben, who just so happened to be sitting the same exam as Eddie, when he was blinded by the flash of a camera. From next to him, Ben gasped and covered his eyes as another bright flash went off from just outside the diner window. Eddie could see his reflection in the window, his expression perplexed and confused as his brain tried to figure out what was going on.

Then the door to the diner opened with a jingle of the bell, and a mic was thrust into his face as reporters swarmed the table, knocking over his coffee and spilling it all over his notes. “Oh my god!” He gasped, fingers scrambling to salvage as much of the work as he could, but the people surrounding him were too much in his face.

“ _Eddie, how does it feel to be in a relationship with Prince Richard?”_

“ _Eddie, doesn’t it bother you that you are going to practically destroy the royal bloodline as you can’t get pregnant?”_

“ _Eddie, are you just with Richie for his money?”_

“ _Eddie are you aware that the British Public hate you?”_

The questions droned on and on, but Eddie refused to answer a single one. Instead he left his destroyed notes on the table and grabbed Ben’s arm, pulling him out of the diner and into the street. He could feel his cheeks red with anger at how inconsiderate the reporters were, and he wanted nothing more than to just burst into tears but he knew he couldn’t. There were camera’s following him, probably camped out in various cars just waiting for him to slip up.

He could hear Ben calling for him to slow down, but he didn’t listen, he just needed to get out of there. The second he was passed the gates that formed the beginning of campus, Eddie let the tears he had been holding back fall, streaming down his cheeks as he brought a hand up to wipe them away.

Finally, he turned around to face Ben, who had just caught up with him, eyes wide and concerned, “Eddie-”

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, burying his head into his hands as he held back a sob. Ben’s arms were immediately around his shoulders, pulling Eddie into a tight, warm hug.

“It’s alright, don’t apologise. None of that was your fault,” Ben soothed, rubbing a hand up and down Eddie’s back in an attempt to calm him down.

“A-All of our n-notes!”

“It’s okay. I’ve kept copies. I’ll print off another set for you okay? We’ll study at my place tomorrow instead of off campus.”

That caused Eddie to burst into another round of sobs, which Ben helped him through before guiding him around campus, towards his dorm. “Wait-” Eddie cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. “I’m going to see Richie.”

“Are you sure?” Ben asked, the concerned look back on his face.

“Yes I- I have to talk to him. I- I can’t have that happen again Ben. I can’t be constantly looking behind my back wondering if some reporter is going to take a picture of me with a burger in my mouth, or sweaty when I come home from the gym.” Eddie sighed, pinching his nose.

“What are you going to do?”

The question caused a heavy weight to fall onto Eddie’s shoulders and they slumped forwards, “I don’t know.”

It was the truth. Eddie didn’t know what he was going to do. On one hand, he loved Richie more than anything and the relationship they had was special, like nothing Eddie had ever felt before and would never feel again with anyone else. On the other hand however, being with Richie came with consequences. His life was no longer private, all of his actions and choices spread out across multiple tabloids. He would never just be able to stop in at a McDonalds at two in the morning and order a cheeseburger without someone calling him fat. He wouldn’t be able to just go on his daily run without someone calling him anorexic.

Eddie loved Richie, that much was certain...but was it enough?

Ben walked him to Richie’s dorm and gave him one final hug before walking off towards his own. Eddie stood outside of the doors for about five minutes, before he finally gained the courage to step inside and face the music. Richie was laying back on the sofa, headphones in as his leg tapped along to whatever beat was thrumming through his phone.

Slowly, Eddie walked over to him and pulled on of the buds out, sending Richie a sad smile when he looked up. “Hey...can we talk?”

Richie shot up, his eyes narrowing as he took in Eddie’s appearance, “Eds? What happened? Is everything alright?”

“We were, Ben and I, were at the diner. You know the one with the really good chocolate milkshakes, not far from campus?’ At Richie’s nod, Eddie continued. “We were studying for the exam in a few weeks, heads down, minding our own business and then the place was swarmed with reporters. They ruined my notes and...god, Richie it was terrifying. They were right up in my face, and I couldn’t even blink as their cameras were so bright.”

As he spoke, Eddie could see Richie’s hands as they clenched into fists, his lips formed into a thin line, “Did they hurt you?”

“No, no they didn’t touch me but- but Richie it was insane. I knew that by dating you it would mean my picture would get taken, but I didn’t realise that they would ambush my study session and ruin my notes in the process. Luckily Ben has a spare copy but what if he didn’t? What if those were my only ticket to passing this really important exam? They wouldn’t care because they got their picture but, but I would care! My degree would have gone down the drain in just a few moments. They would have gained their wage for a picture and I would have been left with nothing.”

“I’m so sorry, Eds. That never should have happened. The press they, they aren’t mean to get so close to us, even for a picture.” Richie reached out to pull him close but Eddie moved back a little. “Eds?”

“I love you, Richie. I love you so much...I just. I don’t know if I can do this,” he whispered, fresh tears brimming in his eyes.

“Eds…” Richie choked and yet he didn’t say anything else. Eddie knew he couldn’t as it was his decision to make. “Eds- I wish I could convince you to to change your mind but...I can’t,” as he spoke, his voice cracked. “I know that the life I lead isn’t ideal and I know that it puts a lot of pressure on you. I love you Eddie, but I also want you to be happy. I don’t want to be the one to cause you problems, or cause you pain. I never want that, ever.”

A sob broke out of Eddie’s throat and he sucked in a few breaths to calm himself, “I- I just need time...can you give me that?”

Richie nodded his head and reached out slowly, taking Eddie’s hand and bringing it to his lips, “I will give you all the time in the world, love. As much time as you need.”

Eddie left shortly after that, taking the long route back to his dorm room. The place was empty, which Eddie was glad for and he collapsed into his bed, staring at the ceiling in shock, with no more tears left to shed.

Did he just break up with Richie?

At the thought, a feeling of nausea passed over him and he covered his mouth with his hand. No. They weren’t ‘broken up’. They were just...on a break.

Right then, Eddie realised he had been watching far too many episodes of  _Friends._

In total, Eddie kept his distance from Richie for seven days. Seven days of nothing but heartache and pining. Eddie missed Richie. He missed the way his arms wrapped around him when they were cuddling, he missed the way his fingers would play with his hair, he missed the way he would tell really inappropriate jokes at the wrong time.

He just missed Richie.

He missed him so much, that Eddie realised that maybe he _could_ deal with the press. Maybe he could adapt to having his every move plastered in the magazines if it meant he got to wake up in Richie’s arms every morning. For what once felt like a huge sacrifice, not only felt like a small price to pay in order to keep Richie in his life.

With shaky fingers, Eddie pulled up his phone and tapped out a message to Richie, leaning back on the bed, heart hammering in his chest;

**Come over? Please? - EK**

No less than two minutes later, his phone buzzed with a response. As he opened the message, Eddie breathed out a sigh of relief, and he knew everything was going to be alright.

**On my way. I’ll bring Chinese. ;) - RT**

* * *

 That fight may have been their first fight, but it certainly wasn’t their last. Just like any couple, they had their ups and downs, but thankfully they always worked things out. After one really silly fight about who forgot to do the dishes, Richie had come up with the rule; let’s never go to bed angry at each other. It was a rule that they stuck by, and would continue to stick by for as long as they were together.

During the summer before their third year at Harvard, Richie asked Eddie to move in with him, and Eddie couldn’t have said yes fast enough. Along with this new step in their relationship, came more and more news articles about how serious it was becoming and if they really were about to hear wedding bells in the future.

It’s not like Richie hadn’t thought of it. He loved Eddie more than anything in the entire world, but would he even be allowed to marry him? As the future King of England, would they allow him to marry a man, even though if he did he could produce no heirs?

These thoughts plagued Richie’s mind all throughout their third year, and finally into their fourth. It was their final year, and Richie was running out of time. Each day, Richie fell more and more in love with Eddie, and with each day the need to ask him to spend the rest of his life with him grew stronger.

It was shortly after their third anniversary that Richie finally made the decision. He was going to ask Eddie to marry him, whether he was allowed to or not. He never had been one for rules, and if his parents were sure that he wouldn’t be allowed to make a commitment to Eddie, they surely would have said something to him long before now.

Yet, even with the sense of rebellion in his mind, Richie made that all important call home anyway.

“Richard?” His father’s voice was questioning on the other line and for the first time, Richie felt nervous.

“Dad. I’m sure that maybe you have seen this coming for some time,” Richie began and inhaled a deep, long, breath. “I want to ask Eddie to marry me. I love him, and I don’t want to spend my life with anyone _other_ than him. So I’m calling you to ask...am I allowed?”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, “You’re right, your mother and I did see this coming. Which is why we spoke to Parliament about it. Same sex marriage is already legal here, but we wanted to make sure that we had the right documents in place for when you did decide to pop the question. At first, they weren’t happy about it, they still aren’t in all honesty, but they have agreed.”

Richie swallowed, “So that means?”

“It means that if you wish you ask Eddie to marry you, you have our permission.” His father’s voice was soft and happy.

“Dad…”

“I’m proud of you, Richie, you know that right? I’m proud of you and I love you.”

Richie’s eyes were brimming with tears and he bit down on his lip. “I love you too, dad.”

“Oh and Richie?” His father called for his attention before he could hang up and he hummed in response. “Good luck.”

Ending the call, Richie sat back on the bed and he smiled wide. If anyone were to walk in and see him then they would think he were crazy. With his father, and parliaments blessing, Richie knew there was only one more person he had to ask before Eddie himself.

Frank Kaspbrak.

Frank, Eddie’s father and someone who Richie looked up to. Right off the bat, Frank never treated Richie as anything other than his son’s boyfriend, which was more than Richie could have wanted. He didn’t want to be treated like a Prince, especially when it came to Eddie, he just wanted to be treated like a normal man who was in love with his son.

Eddie wasn’t due back from class for another hour or so, so Richie took a seat at the island in their kitchen and dialled Frank’s number, pressing the phone to his ear. His stomach was swooping with nerves. What if Frank said no? What if he didn’t think he was worthy enough to marry his son? Those thoughts may have passed Richie’s mind, but to have them spoken aloud made his stomach queasy.

“Hello, Richard.”

He was so lost in his thoughts, that the answering voice of Frank on the other line caught him off guard, “Shit- sorry sir- I mean Frank. Hey. How’s it going?”

“Richie what’s going on?” Frank’s voice remained clear and Richie swallowed thickly, trying to focus his mind.

“Right, um,” He rubbed the back of his hand along his neck and he inhaled deeply. Like ripping off a bandaid right? Just spit it out before you chicken out. “I want to ask Eddie to marry me.”

The silence on the other line was deafening, and Richie was beside himself with panic as he waited to hear what Frank had to say. Finally, he heard a sharp intake of breath, “You really want to marry my son?”

“More than anything in the whole world,” Richie stated. “I know that- if Eddie accepts then it’ll be a huge change for him and I know it’s selfish of me to ask for him to leave his life here behind but-”

“But you love him,” Frank finished off and Richie sighed.

“Yes, I love him. Heart and soul.”

“Then, not that you needed my permission in the first pace but, you have my blessing to ask Eddie to marry you.” As the words left Frank’s lips, Richie sagged in relief. Now there was just one more thing left to do, and that was to ask Eddie himself.

He planned it down to the very last detail. After graduation, Richie would drive Eddie down to a log cabin in upstate New York, and when the time was right he would get down on one knee and ask that all important question.

As the weeks leading up to graduation barrelled towards them at full speed, Richie’s decision to pop the question didn’t falter. In fact, his need to ask Eddie only grew stronger with each passing day and it was becoming more and more difficult for Richie not to ruin the whole plan and just drop down onto one knee.

“You’re acting weird, is everything alright?” Eddie asked one morning as he popped some bread into the toaster. It was only three weeks until graduation, and Eddie had sat his final English exam two days prior.

“Mhm,” Richie hummed from his place at the table and he brought the cup of coffee to his lips, taking a long gulp. “Everything is perfect, monchéri. **”**

“As long as you’re sure, Rich.” Eddie popped the toast and buttered it, taking a seat opposite Richie at the table. “Are you thinking about graduation?”

Richie looked up, his eyes wide. Was it possible that Eddie knew about his plan to propose? It was the fear of Eddie finding out that had caused Richie to only tell three people. His father, Eddie’s father, and Stan. It was too risky to tell anyone else. “I’m always thinking about graduation.”

“We’ll have to pack up this place soon, you know. We won’t be able to live here much longer after we graduate.” Richie watched at Eddie glanced down at his toast, untouched and growing cold. Slowly, he reached out a hand and placed it over Eddie’s.

“After we graduate, before everything gets crazy, come with me to New York?” Richie asked, swallowing thickly. “There is this log cabin in upstate, it’s out of the way, private. I think it would be good for us.”

Eddie looked up at him then, their eyes meeting. Richie watched as the frown that was on his boyfriend’s face loosened and his lips broke into a smile, “I think that is a very good idea.”

* * *

Upstate New York was breathtaking. They were far enough away from the city, the log cabin located in a private area out of the public eye. They had graduated two weeks prior, closing another chapter of their lives, surrounded by their family and friends. Eddie had made sure that the apartment was all packed up before Richie and he went on their trip to the cabin.

Even though Richie had said he was fine, Eddie knew that there was something going on with him. He was jumpy, nervous and Eddie was worried he was thinking about what was going to happen after this break was over. After all, college was over and Richie had a whole destiny waiting for him across the Atlantic Ocean.

Where did that leave Eddie? What was going to happen?

“Love?” Richie’s voice cut off his thoughts and Eddie looked up, eyes fluttering as the light from the fire illuminated off of Richie’s form as he leaned against the doorway.

“Yeah?”

“They have a jacuzzi out here, fancy it?” Richie asked and Eddie perked his eyebrow up in interest. Richie sauntered over to him and took both of his hands in his own, pulling him to his feet. Eddie didn’t speak, letting Richie reach down and tug up his shirt, pulling it over his head. As the material hit the floor, Eddie reached out and cupped Richie’s cheeks with his hands, pulling him into a kiss, soft and loving.

“Jacuzzi?” Eddie breathed as the kiss broke and smiled when Richie laced their fingers together, leading him out onto the balcony where the jacuzzi was. Eddie slipped out of his shorts and played with the hem of his boxers with a smile. Richie scoffed and dropped his own underwear, slipping under the water and flicking on the bubbles.

Eddie breathed out a laugh and let his underwear pool at his feet before he stepped into the water next to Richie. Soon he lost track of how long they had lay there, the water bubbling away all around them. He must have fallen asleep as the next thing Eddie remembered was Richie lifting him out of the water and back into the bedroom.

With droopy eyes, Eddie pulled a clean pair of underwear on and slipped under the covers, curling up into Richie’s arms. He smiled as he felt Richie’s fingers move up and down the skin of his arm and he slowly fell asleep, happy and content.

He was woken up the next morning to the smell of eggs and bacon coming from the kitchen. Eddie smiled into his pillow at the thought of Richie cooking him breakfast, a skill that he had improved over the three years that they had lived together. He pushed the covers off of his body and reached down to pick up a shirt from the floor, pulling it over his head as he headed into the kitchen where Richie was standing over the cooker, flipping the bacon in the frying pan.

“Got it all worked out huh?” Eddie asked, bringing Richie out of whatever thoughts he was lost in, and leaned against the doorway.

“Good morning, love,” Richie breathed, sitting the frying pan off the heat and walking over to where

Eddie was standing, pulling him into his arms and pressing a light kiss to his lips.

“Richie, I have morning breath,” Eddie mumbled, but kissed back anyway, unable to resist Richie under any circumstances.

“Don’t care,” Richie mumbled. “Hungry?”

“Starving.”

Eddie took a seat at the table as Richie dished out the breakfast. They ate in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable, it was just nice. After Richie had cleaned up the dishes, he wandered back into their bedroom and Eddie followed closely behind. “Rich?”

“Hm?”  Richie had stopped in the middle of the bedroom and Eddie walked over, wrapping his arms around Richie’s waist from behind.

“I love you,” he whispered into the material of his shirt.

“I love you too, chéri. I love you so much.”

The rest of their break went as smoothly as Eddie ever could have imagined. They went for hikes, spent lazy days in bed and one day they even took a train into the city. However, Eddie could still sense that Richie was nervous about something, but he couldn’t seem to quite figure out what it was.

It wasn’t until the night before they were due to head back to Harvard that Eddie found out the truth. They were out on a walk by the lake that the cabin was situated at, and the sun was just setting in the horizon. It was a beautiful view, and Eddie felt that he could have watched it forever, but Richie had other plans. Eddie felt him grow still next to him and he turned his head with curious eyes to meet Richie’s nervous ones.

“Richie, is everything alright? You’re worrying me…” He breathed, reaching a hand out to cup his cheek. Richie smiled and brought his hand up to cover over Eddie’s.

“I’m perfect, Eds. I guess, I’ve just been trying to pluck up the courage.” Richie licked his lips and Eddie tilted his head to the side.

“Pluck up the courage for what?” Eddie asked, his stomach swirling with the knowledge of the unknown.

“This,” Richie whispered and his hand reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small, simple, silver band. Eddie’s eyes widened in shock as he connected all the dots in his mind. Why Richie was so nervous, why they were at the cabin in private. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Richie was talking again. “I love you, Eddie. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone in my life. I never planned to meet you, to fall in love with you, but I did and I am so glad that I did because you have made me a better person. These four years that I’ve spent with you have been the best four years of my life, but I don’t just want to have four years with you. I want to have forever with you. You are my nouveau soleil.” Eddie watched in shock as Richie got down on to one knee and held out the ring for him, “Edward Frank Kaspbrak, will you marry me?”

* * *

“What do you mean he said no?” Charlotte asked on the loudspeaker to Stan as he helped Richie put his things into the van that would then transport them back across to England. “Are you sure?”

“He didn’t just say ‘no’, Lottie,” Stan whispered, not wanting to set Richie off, but his friend was too busy staring into space from his seat on the sofa. The apartment was almost completely empty, all of Eddie’s things having been removed the day before when Richie was still at Stan’s place.

“Then what did he say? Stan you have to give me something to work with here, nothing makes sense?” Stan could hear the rising hysteria in Lottie’s voice as she worried about her brother.

“Richie told me that Eddie’s exact words were, “I don’t know.” He said that Eddie was scared about uplifting his life and moving to a new country to abide by new laws and regulations. He wasn’t sure he was ready. Which...I sort of understand, Lottie. Does this situation suck? Yes it does. Do I blame Eddie for making the decision he made? No I don’t.”

Lottie was silent on the line, until she finally sighed. “It is a big commitment,” she whispered. “I don’t blame him, none of us do, and eventually Richie won’t either and he will move on.”

Stan fell silent as he took in Lottie’s words with a sigh. “Right, you’re right. We’ll be getting on the flight in the next couple of hours so, we will see you in the morning.”

“Take care of my brother for me Stan,” Lottie whispered and Stan exhaled.

“I always do.” He hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket, walking back through to where Richie was still sitting on the couch. Stan placed a hand on Richie’s shoulder and sent him a small smile. “I have to go and say goodbye to someone okay, will you be alright on your own for an hour?”

“I’m heartbroken Stan, but I’m not immobile. I’ll be fine. Go say goodbye to Mike.” Richie mumbled and Stan swallowed, nodding his head before he left the room and walked across the campus to a familiar dorm.

The door was open and boxes littered the hallways. It was clear that Mike was packing up to head back home for the summer before he figured out what he was going to do with his new found degree. Stan hoped that he would come to England, but just like Eddie, he didn’t want to pressure him into uplifting his life to move across the sea.

“Stan?” In his thoughts, Stan hadn’t even realised he had entered the hallway of the dorm room. Mike was standing a few feet away from him, holding a box labelled ‘Kitchen’. “Hey.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard about what happened in New York,” Stan spoke softly, walking completely into the dorm and taking the box from Mike’s arms to sit it on the floor.

“Eddie came by before he drove back to Derry,” Mike said softly, his arms reaching out to pull Stan into a hug. “How is Richie holding up?”

“He’s not. He’s just sitting on the sofa, staring into space. Lottie seems to think that he’ll snap out of it once he is home but I don’t think it’s going to be that easy Mike. Four years, they were together four years. That’s a really long time when you think about it. Eddie was the love of Richie’s life and they are just...over. Just like that.” Stan swallowed and took a seat next to Mike, leaning against his shoulder.

“I know, I know that this is a terrible situation but it’s going to be okay, it won’t be like this forever,” Mike reasoned and wrapped his arm around Stan’s shoulder.

“What about us?” Stan whispered after a few moments. “I have to go back to England with Richie tonight,” he looked up. “And I don’t want to ask you to come with me. I can’t ask you because I don’t want you to feel pressured-”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Mike reached up to brush his thumb across Stan’s cheek. “I love you, and this- you and I- it’s so very different than what’s going on with Eddie and Richie.” He inhaled and Stan remained quiet. “I applied for jobs, in London.”

“What?”

“I know that you can’t stay here, that your relationship with Richie and his family is too important to you, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t come with you. I love you, and I want to be with you, if you’ll have me.”

Stan let out a breath, closing the distance between them with a kiss and he nodded, “Of course I’ll have you.”

He remained at Mike’s for the hour that he had told Richie he would be gone. Stan listened as Mike informed him that he had to stay in the US for a few more weeks, until his work documents were approved and all his loose ends were tied up here, then he would fly out to England. In his mind, Stan was already planning to find an apartment for them to live in, and he was sure Richie wouldn’t be too upset about him moving, after all, they were adults now.

He was glad to see that Richie had moved from his spot on the sofa when he got back to the apartment. All of the boxes had been loaded onto the lorry to take to the airport for travel back to England. As he walked through the empty apartment, Stan stopped in the doorway to the room that was once Eddie and Richie’s bedroom. Richie was standing in the middle of the empty room, engagement ring placed between his thumb and forefinger.

“Don’t throw it away,” Stan spoke up, and Richie turned to face him, eyes red rimmed from crying.

“What’s the point in keeping it?” he asked and Stan walked over slowly.

“Trust me, it’ll hurt more to throw it away than to keep it.” He plucked the ring from Richie’s fingers and placed it into the palm of his hand, closing his fist around it. “Come on, we have a plane to catch.”

* * *

“Eddie?”

At the sound of his father’s voice through the door, Eddie pulled the sheets around his head tighter, burying himself into fort he had made to protect him from the world outside. “Go away,” he mumbled into his pillow.

“Eddie I’m not leaving, I’m going to come in whether you like it or not.” Then, without any further warning his father opened his bedroom door and stepped inside. Eddie pushed back the sheets and stared at him with wide eyes.

“Dad, this is such an invasion of my privacy.” He crossed his arms, but there was no real hate behind his words. In fact, Eddie was happy that his father was here.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked and Eddie felt his throat constrict, tears welling up in his eyes as he moved across the bed to hug his dad. ‘Hey, we don’t have to talk if you’re not ready. I am just very confused right now.”

“Richie proposed,” Eddie whispered. “In New York, he got down on one knee and he proposed.”

“Okay,” his dad nodded, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“I wanted to say yes dad, I wanted to say yes more than anything in the world.”

“Why didn’t you?”

That was the question. Why didn’t Eddie say yes? When Richie got down on one knee right there at the cabin, Eddie knew what was going to happen and he was going to say yes. “I got scared…”

“Scared of what?” Frank asked, searching to meet Eddie’s eyes.

“Everything. Leaving my life here behind, leaving my friends, leaving _you_. Entering a completely new life and having to follow these rules that I’m not used to,” Eddie swallowed. “But that wasn’t just it, those thoughts were just fleeting. I know that things would be different, that it would take time to adjust, but I’d have Richie and I knew that as long as he was there, everything would have been alright.”

Eddie watched his dad frown but he held up his finger as he opened his mouth to speak, shaking his head.

“I started thinking about everyone else. The important people in Richie’s life. Parliament, the advisors, the public. If I married Richie, then there would be no heirs to the throne. If I married Richie, then there’s a fair chance that the British public would hate me because I’m unorthodox. I’m not exactly someone that people would see the future King of England marrying am I?” Eddie finished, looking down at his lap.

His dad was silent for a long time, before he let out a breath, “Eddie…” he trailed off and Eddie looked up to meet his eyes, soft and caring. “Listen to me, who cares about what everyone else thinks?” He shifted so he was looking at Eddie properly. “Who cares about what the British public think, or about what Parliament think, or about what the press think. You love Richie right?” Eddie nodded his head. “You want to be with him?” Another nod. “Then be with him. If you want to marry him, _marry_ ****him. It doesn’t matter about what anyone else thinks or wants. It’s about what _you_ ****want. It’s about what you and Richie want. It’s as simple as that.”

Eddie was silent as he took in his father’s words. His heart was hammering against his ribcage and his mouth was dry. The thought about living his life without Richie hurt him deep, stirring a nauseous feeling in his stomach. “I want him,” he whispered eventually. “I want a life with him, dad.”

“Then go and get him.”

He reached over his dad and grabbed his phone which was sitting on his desk next to his bed and brought up a familiar number, pressing ‘call’ and holding it to his ear. Blood was pumping in his ears and he swallowed as he waited for an answer.

“Eddie?”

“Mike,” Eddie breathed a sigh of relief. “Mike please tell me you’re still in the States?”

“Yeah, I’m in New York at the moment, just tying up some loose ends and waiting for my documents to come back. Why? Is everything alright?” Eddie laughed at Mike’s concern and he swallowed.

“Yes, yes everything. Everything is perfect. I’m coming to New York.” He declared, getting off the bed completely and throwing clothes into a suitcase. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his dad pull something out of his wallet, and as he focused, he saw that it was a credit card. “Hold on Mike-” he placed his hand over the speaker. “Dad?”

“For anything you might need. Like plane tickets, new clothes, food, you name it. Use this.” He dad pressed the card into his hand and with a smile, left the room.

“Eddie?” Mike’s voice brought him back to the call and he pulled his hand off the speaker. “Eddie are you alright?”

“I made a huge mistake Mike,” Eddie breathed down the line as he continued to pack the essentials. “I want to marry Richie. I love Richie. I want to come with you to England. I have to tell him that I love him, that I want to marry him.”

He could almost feel Mike’s smile as he spoke, “Well, you better get yourself to New York then.”

Eddie had made Mike promise not to say anything to Stan about his decision to come to England. His friend was unsure at first, but when he saw just how important it was to Eddie, he agreed. It took a further four days after Eddie’s arrival in New York for Mike to be granted his papers and the second he had signed them the flights were booked.

England was beautiful. More extravagant and spacious than Eddie had ever imagined. When they landed in Heathrow airport they hailed a cab to the city as Mike had quite a lot of luggage with him, unlike Eddie, who had only packed the essentials. Since the apartment wasn’t quite ready for Mike and

Stan to move in to, Mike had put himself up in a hotel and was all more than welcome to let Eddie share the room with him until he had sorted things out with Richie.

“How am I even going to see him? Eddie asked as they dumped their bags in the room of the hotel. “I mean, it’s not like I can just walk up to the gates of Buckingham Palace and ask the guards to let me in.”

Mike chuckled and shook his head, “No, I don’t think that would be wise. Unless you wanted to be arrested. Now _that_ would have been an interesting scandal.”

“We don’t need any more scandals. I don’t need to give the British public any more reason to hate me.” Eddie mumbled, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“How can they hate someone they don’t really know?” Mike asked. “They can make their assumptions, but until you show them the real Eddie Kaspbrak, and show them just how much you love their Prince, they can’t hate you.”

“You’re so wise. I knew there was a reason I kept you around,” Eddie teased and closed his eyes, breathing in and out as he tried to focus.

“I try,” Mike smiled, nudging his side. “Now, can I tell Stan so he can find some way to get you into the palace without Richie finding out and without you getting arrested?”

Eddie paused for a moment before he nodded his head, leaning over to watch as Mike typed out a text to Stan.

_I’m at the hotel. Also, don’t freak out but Eddie is with me. - Mike_

**I’m freaking out. - Stan.**

**Eddie is with you? At the hotel? You’re not fucking with me are you Mike? - Stan.**

_I’m not fucking with you, Stan. Eddie is here, right next to me. - Mike._

_He changed his mind. - Mike._

**Oh thank fuck. I’m losing my mind dealing with Richie’s moping. - Stan**

**I swear he’s like a lost puppy. - Stan**

_Can you get him into the palace without Richie knowing? - Mike_

**Well, considering Richie hasn’t left his room in a week, I doubt that will be a problem. - Stan**

**I might have to recruit Lottie though. She’d kill me if we didn’t include her. - Stan.**

_Of course, tell her. - Mike._

As they waited for Stan to reply, Eddie stood up and began pacing back and forth in the hotel room. What if Charlotte didn’t want to help? What if she didn’t want Eddie anywhere near Richie after what he had done? Eddie wouldn’t blame her, she was very protective over her brother.

It was the sound of Mike’s phone dinging to signal in incoming message that had Eddie jumping over the cases and back onto the bed to read what he had said.

**Be outside the palace in an hour. Lottie’s going to send a car to pick you both up. - Stan**

Eddie had never moved so fast in his life. He jumped off the bed and grabbed a change of clothes from his suitcase before rushing to the bathroom to quickly shower and make himself somewhat presentable. The exhaustion of the day was catching up on him, the fact that they were five hours ahead of America making Eddie’s body clock fall off the scale just a little.

Once he had deemed himself appropriately dressed, he emerged from the bathroom and gathered up his things. He caught Mike’s confused expression in the mirror and Eddie swallowed, ‘Well, just in case I have to get a flight home tonight, I’d rather just have my things with me.”

Mike didn’t respond, instead he just grabbed Eddie by the arm and tugged him outside. Luckily, the hotel they were staying in was only a five minute walk from the palace, and they arrived at the spot with plenty of time to spare. Eddie was in awe and he took in the scene before him, the large gates trimmed with gold that separated the palace from the public, the guards that littered the grounds, keeping a watchful eye on the tourists and the large building itself. Eddie couldn’t help but think that the pictures did not do it justice.

“Over here,” Mike’s voice pulled Eddie out of his thoughts and he nodded, following him over to to the Victoria Memorial. There were children climbing all over it, splashing in the water that had collected in the pools from the fountain. It really was beautiful.

They couldn’t have been waiting there ten minutes before a black car pulled up and the window rolled down to reveal Lottie, waving quickly for them to get into the car before she was spotted by the public. Luckily it all happened so fast, and all the tourists were busy taking pictures of the palace itself and the guards to have paid any attention to two Americans getting into a black car behind them.

The second that they were safely away from prying eyes, the car took off back around to the other entrance to the palace. Eddie felt his stomach tighten as he tried to figure out what to say to the princess, how to apologise, but before he could open his mouth, Lottie pulled him into a hug.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” Eddie wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug as best as he could. Tears pooled in his eyes and he inhaled sharply, willing them away.

“I’m sorry-”

“Don’t apologise. We’re not mad at you for saying no to Richie, we understand why you did. I’m just so glad that you changed your mind.”

The car came to a stop and the driver got out, opening the passenger door for them. Lottie got out first followed by Mike and then Eddie. The princess thanked the driver before circling her hand around Eddie’s wrist and tugging him inside the large building. He had no idea where he was, and as they moved through the corridors Eddie felt even more lost as they all pretty much looked the same.

“You learn to tell the difference because the paintings aren’t the same. When we were old enough to roam around on our own, Richie and I got lost so many times but luckily there is a little bell located in the middle of every corridor. Ring it and someone will come find you.” Lottie explained and pulled them into a room. “This is the recreation room. Stan and Richie spend time playing video games in here and practicing their rubbish fencing skills on each other. Wait here, Stan’s going to bring Richie down and then...it’s all up to you.”

With a smile, Lottie guiding Mike out of the room, leaving Eddie alone with his thoughts as he waited for Richie. He wandered around the room, glancing at the shelves of DVD’s and books that littered the room as well as the game equipment, fencing equipment, musical instruments and art utensils. He had just finished looking through the books when he heard voices filtered down the corridor...Richie and Stan’s voices.

“ _I’m really not in the mood to fence with you Stan.”_ Richie. Eddie’s heart was pounding and his mouth had gone dry. Richie was just on the other side of that door and this could either go very positively or end in disaster.

“ _Just go in there. Trust me Richie,”_ Stan.

Eddie walked into the middle of the room and held his breath. The doorknob twisted and the door opened, revealing Richie with his back to him.

“What’s going on Stan? I’m not really in the mood for games or anything,” Richie still had his back to Eddie and Stan was staring right at him, his mouth quirked up in a smile.

“Just...look.” Stan spoke softly before winking at Eddie and walking down the hall. Richie squawked after him, but sighed, running a hand through his hair before he turned around, freezing as his eyes settled on Eddie.

Not wanting to leave the silence for too long, Eddie swallowed, “Hi.”

Richie blinked and Eddie watched as he brought a hand to his arm and pinch the skin there. Eddie watched as the realisation that he was really there crossed Richie’s face and he looked back up to meet his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Eddie swallowed, not quite sure how to approach the situation. Should he apologise? Explain what happened and hope that Richie doesn’t turn him away? Many thoughts and possibilities ran through his mind, but what actually left his mouth was not one of the options. “Ask me again,” he breathed.

“What?” Richie’s eyes were wide as saucers, yet Eddie could see the hope he felt reflecting in them.

“Ask me again,” Eddie repeated, taking a few steps towards him. “Please, Rich. I want you to ask me again.”

Slowly, Richie shook himself out of the trance he was in and Eddie watched as he reached into the pocket of his pants, pulling out the ring that he had presented to him that night at the cabin. This time there was no romantic setting, no sunset, just the two of them, waiting to take the next step in their relationship together. Eddie bit down on his lip to contain his smile as Richie stepped forward, bending down onto one knee and holding out the ring.

“Eddie Kaspbrak, will you marry me?”

This time, there was nothing hesitant about Eddie’s response. This time he knew exactly what he wanted and there was nothing going to stop him from having it. He closed the gap, lowering himself so he could look into Richie’s eyes and he reached out, cupping his cheek and pressing their foreheads together.

“Yes.”


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE WAIT! 
> 
> This was meant to be just two parts but I feel I've left you all waiting for so long, that I split it into three. Enjoy!

Eddie was woken up the following morning by the sun streaming in the window. He groaned, pulling the sheets over his head more firmly to block out the light and he rolled over, body meeting the firmness of another. Richie. A smile made its way onto Eddie’s lips and he snuggled back into Richie’s arms, a warm and content feeling taking over his body.

“Mhm, I’ve missed this,” Richie mumbled, voice laced with sleep as he wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist, tugging him closer. Eddie sighed as he felt Richie’s lips press soft kisses into his hair and he looked up.

“I missed you too. I’m sorry I was such an idiot,” he whispered, looking down and Richie reached out to tilt his chin up, leaning forward and pressing a light kiss to his lips.

“It’s okay, mon amour, you’re here now. We’re together and that’s all that matters.” Richie whispered, reaching down to take Eddie’s left hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing the ring. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Eddie breathed back, leaning forward to give Richie a kiss, ignoring their morning breath. The kiss was short lived however, as Eddie’s stomach growled, causing Richie to snort.

“Alright, pip pip tally ho my good fellow, let’s go get some breakfast!” Richie slipped out of bed and made quick work of changing into something reasonable, ignoring the way Eddie giggled at his choice of phrasing. As he changed however, Eddie immediately noticed the differences from back at home. Back home, Richie would have simply walked around in his underwear. He couldn’t do that here.

Eddie followed suit, changing back into the clothes he had worn when he arrived, as his suitcase was still with Mike and Lottie. He refused to let go of Richie’s hand as they made their way through even more complicated corridors. It wasn’t until the smell of food hit his nose, that Eddie realised they must have been close to the dining room.

The second Richie pushed open the door, everyone that was in the room turned their heads to face them. Mike and Stan were both sitting at the table, across from Lottie, as well as Went and Maggie. Richie tugged him over to the table, and they sat down on the seats that had been saved for them. The table was silent for a few minutes, before Lottie leaned over the table.

“Let’s see the rock then,” she held out her hand to Eddie with a raised eyebrow. Eddie laughed softly but passed her his left hand. She held it immediately, eyes examining the ring on Eddie’s finger.

“You haven’t already seen it?” Eddie asked and Lottie shook her head.

“Richie refused to let anyone see the ring, at least not until it was on your finger.” She explained and gave Richie the side eye.

“How did you even know I re-proposed?” Richie asked, raising his eyebrow and Lottie snorted.

“Well, no offence big brother, but from the moans that were coming from your room last night, and the massive hickey that’s present on Eddie’s neck, I think that it’s pretty self explanatory that you asked him to marry you again.” Lottie deadpanned.

Everyone in the room fell silent and Eddie felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment. Had he really been so loud the night before? His hand moved up to his neck, fingers brushing over the sensitive mark there that Richie had made the night before.

“Lottie that was...rather inappropriate…” Went spoke up, glancing down at his empty bowl of cereal. Lottie shrugged and smirked at Eddie and Richie, sending them a wink.

“Just stating the truth, dad,” She hummed and flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder and taking a bite out of her toast. She swallowed and reached into her pocket, pulling out a tube of concealer and passing it over the table to Eddie. “Might want to put some of that on if you plan to go outside.”

Richie snorted and Eddie flushed, taking the makeup and slipping it into his pocket. The remainder of breakfast passed by calmly, Maggie and Went offering them both congratulations and informing them that they would have to set up an interview with the BBC so the public were aware of the new development.

“An interview?” Eddie asked, fear settling into his bones and Richie gripped onto his hand tight. “Like...in front of people?”

“No no, it will be pre-recorded. It’ll just be Richie, yourself and an interviewer and they’ll ask you questions about your relationship,” Maggie explained. “But you don’t have to go into extreme detail, just a few comments here and there to keep the public happy.”

Eddie made mental notes in his head about all the things he had to remember in the weeks leading up to the scheduled interview. Stan helped him with his posture, and Lottie sorted out his wardrobe so he had plenty of new clothes to wear that were deemed ‘royal appropriate’.

Even though things were much different, it didn’t stop the two of them for having fun, just like they had back in the states. Richie would take him out picnics in the private gardens, and they would play video games in the recreation room. Eddie had been living at the palace for a week when he met Charles for the first time.

Charles, according to Richie, was the world’s best mood killer. Nothing was good enough for him, and Eddie was warned that if he crossed paths with him, to just keep walking. Luckily, the initial meeting didn’t happen when Eddie was on his own, but in fact when Richie and he were engaged in a very intense and competitive game of Twister.

“Richie, just spin the god damn wheel!” Eddie hissed, his body cramping up from being in the same position for too long. Richie snorted next to him and sighed, using his feet to spin the wheel. “What does it say?”

“Green, left foot.”

Eddie breathed a sigh of relief as he moved his left leg out of the uncomfortable position and back into one that was somewhat normal. Richie was just about to take his turn when a voice cleared, startling them both and sending them to the floor.

“What on earth is this?” The voice was not one that Eddie recognised, and he shot his head up to meet the disapproving glare of an older man. “Richard this is childish, this is no way that you should be behaving.”

“Charles, it’s Twister, not bloody murder,” Richie hissed, straightening up and lacing his fingers with Eddie’s, providing him with immediate comfort. “This is Eddie, he’s my fiancé so I would appreciate it if you would stop staring at him as though he is dirt on your shoe.”

“He might be your fiancé, but that doesn’t mean I approve.” Charles spat and Eddie winced, gripping Richie’s hand tight.

“It doesn’t matter, nor do I care, whether you approve or not,” Richie replied shortly, packing up the game and standing up. “Now if you’ll excuse us.”

Eddie stumbled a little as Richie tugged him out of of the room and through a set of double doors, into the large garden. The gardens were kept private by a large high hedge that surrounded the partimeter, keeping them out of view from the outside world. Richie lightly tugged him down the steps and they began a gentle stroll, “So that was Charles?”

“I’m so sorry about him, he hates me but that doesn’t mean he gets to treat the most important person in my life like that,” Richie grumbled, swinging their hands between them as they walked. Eddie moved a little closer and rested his head against Richie’s shoulder, sighing in contentment.

“It’s alright, it’s not like I wasn’t prepared for people not to like me,” Eddie sighed. “I’m a male, I’m _American_ , I can’t be gaining favours with the British public.”

“The British public haven’t had time to really see who you are. Until then, they can withhold judgement, and you should stop worrying. The only people that matter in this relationship are you and me, alright?” Richie assured him, cupping Eddie’s face in his hands and pressing a light kiss to his lips. “I also happen to love the fact that you are American. It makes you the man I fell in love with.”

“You are such a sap,” Eddie said fondly, biting his lip to hold his back his smile. Not that it lasted.

“I’m British. I’m born and raised to be a sap,” Richie grinned, wrapped his arm around Eddie’s shoulders and leading him back inside. “Are you nervous?”

“Nervous?”

“About the interview next week?” Richie clarified, holding the glass door open to let Eddie walk inside first. “With the BBC.”

“Oh, right. The interview.” Eddie sunk into one of the seats in the room they had entered and brushed his fingers through his hair. “I’ll be fine.”

“Love, you have nothing to be worried about. Nothing at all. I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.” Richie brushed his thumb over Eddie’s cheek and pressed a kiss to his nose. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know. You can trust me.”

* * * * *

Eddie could not trust Richie. No matter how many times they would sit down to go over topics that they should discuss, or topics they _shouldn’t_ ****discuss when they had their interview for the BBC, they would end up making out. Eddie felt like he was getting nowhere, and as much as it pained him to ditch his fiance and his help, he needed some real help. The interview was only a few days away, and he had no idea how he was supposed to act when the camera turned on him. So he sought out the other two people  that he knew could help him.

Charlotte and Stanley.

Charlotte was knowledgeable in the topics that Eddie should talk about, as well as the topics that he should avoid at all costs and Stan was there to help him with his posture, as well as how to act when in the public eye.

“Back straight and keep your knees together, royalty never sit with their legs apart, it’s not proper,” Stan shook his head. “And elbows in, place them on your knees and if you really want to, you can clasp them together.” He placed his hand on Eddie’s shoulder to straighten up his back. “But don’t fidget too much, it’ll make you look as though you don’t want to be there.”

Eddie nodded his head along with everything that Stan was saying, drinking it all in as best as he could. It was so overwhelming, all the things he had to learn to do now that he was marrying into royalty. He couldn’t screw things up, because if he did then there was no chance the British public would like him.

After Stanley was sure Eddie would make it through the interview, he let Charlotte take over. Lottie was a lot less harsh than Stan was, sitting next to him with a notepad and listing all the things he could freely talk about, as well as those he could not.

“Avoid politics,” she said seriously. “We’re not allowed to have a political opinion, and if anyone asks, just shake your head and say ‘no comment’. It’s a touchy subject here, and even try and avoid talking about American politics as well. Try to keep the focus on your relationship, how you met, fell in love and got engaged but...maybe not bring up the slight break up?”

“But we’re going to mention the cabin in upstate New York and that wasn’t where we got engaged?” Eddie queried, confused.

“You don’t have to say that Richie proposed there, just say you went for a nice vacation before Richie had to return home to England.” Lottie grinned and reached over to take his hand. “Listen, it’ll be fine. Richie will be right there next to you the whole time and even though it may not seem like it, he does know what he’s doing. You’re going to do great.”

With a smile, Eddie squeezed her hand back, “Thank you, Lottie. Really.”

“It’s never going to be a problem with you Eddie. Come to me about anything, I’ll be happy to help,” She grinned and pulled him into a hug. Just as they were about to pull away, someone cleared their throat in the doorway.

“Trying to steal my man are we Charlotte?” Richie teased, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. “You know I don’t think it’ll work, Eddie’s tastes are actually very similar to yours I’m afraid.”

Lottie barked out a laugh as Eddie felt his face heat up at Richie’s words. He turned to face him properly and his eyes widened into saucers. Richie’s hair was dripping wet, and the curls were already forming around his ears and over his face. “You’re insufferable,” he squeaked out, after it registered that he had been silent for far too long.

Richie stepped away from the wall and crossed the room, taking Eddie’s chin between his fingers, bringing their lips together in a soft kiss. Eddie closed his eyes, leaning into it as he refrained from burying his fingers into Richie’s wet curls. “Mhm, but you love me, darling,” Richie mumbled against his lips.

“I do,” Eddie agreed, nodding his head.

“And that’s my cue to leave. I don’t fancy seeing you two going at it on the sofa,” Lottie commented, getting to her feet. “I’ll see you later.” With that she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“I missed you today,” Richie whispered, moving around the couch and sitting down, pulling Eddie into his lap. His breathing hitched just a little, but he settled down, moving his fingers into his hair.

“Missed you too, but I needed to focus and _you_ , Your Highness, are very distracting,” Eddie hummed, pulling Richie back down into another kiss, pushing his tongue past his lips to deeped it.

“Your Highness? Do you have a kink here, my love?” Richie grinned, kissing down Eddie’s neck, nipping at the skin under his ear, a place that Richie only kissed when he was aiming to tease.

“I don’t need it to be a kink, Rich,” Eddie breathed. “Because you _are_ ****a Prince, and your title _is_ **‘** Your Highness’.”

Richie just chuckled before he stood up, taking Eddie with him causing him to wrap his legs tight around his waist. “Want to spend the afternoon with me?”

Eddie raised his eyebrow and tugged on a stray curl, grinning at the gasp that fell from Richie’s lips. “I’d never say no to a proposition like that.”

As Richie carried him to their bedroom, Eddie’s laughter echoed off the halls.

* * * * *

It was 45 minutes before they were about to go live to the BBC and Eddie couldn’t stop shaking. Richie was sitting next to him, their hands clasped tight together and sitting over Richie’s lap so that Eddie’s ring was on view. The interviewer, Adrian Mellon, was being checked on by his assistants, making sure his makeup was camera ready.

Just then he looked up and flashed Eddie a warm smile, “Don’t worry, this isn’t Richie’s first interview, just smile and everything will be fine.” He flicked through his notes then and Eddie felt his chest close up as he looked around the room at all the camera men, and then back to Adrian, and then to Richie. He shot up from his seat and rushed into their private dressing room, slamming the door closed and leaning against the wall.

Richie stumbled in a few seconds later, his eyes full of alarm and worry, “Darling?” He asked, as though he were speaking to a frightened dog. “My love, what is it? Is everything alright?”

Eddie looked up and instead of speaking, he surged forward and pulled Richie down into a kiss, deep and dirty. Richie reacted almost immediately, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s smaller waist, tugging their bodies close together. Eddie whined and broke the kiss, his lips making a trail down Richie’s neck before he dropped to his knees in front of him. Richie’s eyes bugged out of his head as he registered what Eddie was doing, and Eddie snorted as he surged forward to lock the door.

“Fuck, Eds,” Richie breathed, reaching out to card his fingers through Eddie’s hair before Eddie reached out to stop him.

“It’ll mess it up, and we don’t have long,” Eddie whispered. “You can mess up my hair as much as you want later, I promise.”

Richie just nodded his head and Eddie unbuttoned his pants, tugging them down along with his boxers. He wasted no time taking Richie into his mouth, all the way to the hilt and moaning around his length. Richie hissed and leaned back against the wooden dressing table behind him, fingers curling around the edge.

“Holy fuck, Eddie,” he moaned, closing his eyes over and thrusting up into Eddie’s mouth, making him moan and dip his hand into his own pants. With his free hand, he pinched Richie’s side, letting him know that it was okay for him to fuck into his mouth. Richie’s eyes went dark and he tested the waters, rolling his hips which only made Eddie whine more, sending vibrations down Richie’s cock.

As Richie fucked into his mouth, first slowly and then building up the pace, Eddie rolled his tongue and fisted at his own cock, leaking hard and onto his hand. Richie placed a hand on the back of Eddie’s neck, squeezing every so often to keep him grounded. “Fuck, darling, I’m gonna come.”

Eddie pulled off, licking his lips, “I want you to come in my mouth,” he breathed. “Please Richie.”

“Yes darling, of course,” Richie nodded, letting Eddie take him back into his mouth. Soon they resumed the same pace as before and Eddie moaned thickly around Richie’s cock, feeling himself grow close as he stroked at his own erection. Above him, Richie’s face was flushed and his eyes were closed, he was close, Eddie could tell. “Fuck Eds, I’m- I’m going to come!” He gasped.

Eddie pinched at Richie’s side and less than two minutes later, Richie was coming deep down his throat with a gasp and Eddie was coming into his hand, moaning around Richie’s cock. He swallowed all that Richie had to offer and pulled off, breathing heavily and resting his head against Richie’s thigh. “Fuck,” he breathed, panting hard.

He watched as Richie reached into the drawer of the dressing table behind him, pulling out some wipes and passing them to Eddie. He wiped his hand, and his softening cock up and tucked himself back into his pants with a happy smile. Just then, there was a knock on the door and a voice Eddie didn’t recognise.

“You have five minutes until we’re on air,” the voice said and Eddie looked up at Richie with a panicked expression.

“Rich-”

“I love you, I love you and you’re going to do amazing out there okay?” Richie breathed, pulling Eddie to his feet and kissing his lips. “I love you, my love. Just be yourself.”

“I love you too,” Eddie whispered and fixed his hair in the mirror before lacing his fingers with Richie’s. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” Richie agreed with a grin and they left the dressing room.

They walked out into the brightly lit room and Eddie was immediately swarmed by the makeup artists and hairdressers, making sure he looked absolutely fabulous for the cameras. They resumed their previous position, except now Eddie was far more relaxed, playing with Richie’s fingers. Adrian seemed to pick up on their much more chilled posture and smiled at the two of them.

“Just pretend the camera’s aren’t even there and you’ll be fine,” he assured Eddie as the man behind the camera started counting down.

Then they were live. The cameras were on them, flashing red and Adrian was smiling at them with a large smile, “So, let’s just jump right into it, how did it happen? How did you two get engaged? The British public are dying to know all the saucy details!”

Richie chuckled from next to Eddie and gripped his hand tighter, “Well, we had just graduated Uni, and I had to come back to England because it was my duty and I didn’t want to ask Eddie to move all the way to Britain to be with me, to uplift his whole life. So I left alone. Then, a few weeks later Eddie showed up out of nowhere and well, I asked him to marry me and he said yes.”

“And how did that make you feel, Eddie? Richard leaving you in America to return to his life here? What made you come after him?” Adrian asked, holding over the mic.

Eddie bit down on his lip to try and contain his smile, “I missed him. I knew he had to leave, and I wasn’t going to stop him because he is, after all, the future King of England, but I missed him. I couldn’t live without him because I...I love him. More than anything. So I came to England to be with him.”

“And the ring, it’s a family heirloom am I correct?”

Richie nodded, “Yes, yes it was made out of my great-grandfathers pendant that he used to wear all the time. I got permission from my parents to have it melted down and made into a ring for Eddie.” Eddie’s eyes widened, as he didn’t know this. He had no idea.

“So you’d been planning to propose for a while?” Adrian’s question broke through Eddie’s thoughts.

“Truthfully? I almost proposed when we were still in America. After graduation we went to this really nice cabin in upstate New York, and I almost did it there, but the moment didn’t seem right. But yes, I’d been planning it for a few months before it happened,” Richie answered, chuckling lightly and scratching the back of his neck. Eddie noted that Charlotte was right, Richie did know exactly how to speak to the press.

“I just have to say that the two of you look incredibly relaxed and well, happy.” Adrian commented. “It’s lovely to see and I’m sure everyone watching will agree that it’s been a long time since we’ve seen Richard so mellow.

Eddie laughed then and wrapped his arms around one of Richie’s arms, smiling up at him lovingly. “He’s always very relaxed around me so this isn’t new,” he said softly, but loud enough for the mics to catch on.

As the interview went on, they were asked about how they met, how their families reacted to them dating, about the photo that was released to the public and everything in between. At one point, Eddie was nervous that they would ask him about his mother, since he only ever mentioned his father, but luckily the subject went untouched. Eddie was asked about how he thought he would fair under the public eye and before he could even answer Richie was there, backing him up and making him feel more confident than he had the entire interview.

“Well, Eddie, Richie, it’s been a pleasure and I am glad you accepted this interview with me as your first. I sincerely wish you both every happiness in the future.” Adrian wrapped up the interview and the camera’s cut, the lights flicking back on to their normal setting. Finally, Eddie sunk back into the seat and closed his eyes.

“You did brilliantly, my love,” Richie whispered in his ear. “I am so very proud of you.”

Eddie opened his eyes and smiled warmly. “I’m incredibly proud of myself, Richie. I’m incredibly proud of myself.”

* * * * *

It was a few weeks after the interview that they were booked for an engagement photoshoot. Eddie had watched the interview live when it was broadcast, and paid attention to his twitter feed for any animosity coming from the British public. There were a few nasty comments, mainly referring to the fact that he was a man, but overall the positive response was overwhelming.

Which led them to the photoshoot. Eddie had no idea what to expect, not really, but what he _didn’t_ expect was for Richie to be so restless. The photographer had spent a whole twenty minutes trying to get Richie into a position but each time he would just move and mess it up. Eddie knew that he should have been annoyed, after all it was taking longer than necessary just for a few pictures, but he couldn’t stop laughing.

“Your Highness,” the photographer stressed, becoming more agitated by the second. “Please will you refrain from acting like a child for one second so we can take the pictures?”

Richie was silent, and it almost looked like he was going to agree but when the camera was raised to take the picture, he moved again, causing the photographer to let out an internal scream and walk away from the scene. “Wait- where are you going?” Eddie called out, keeping his voice calm.

“For air! Please for the love of god, make him sit still Mr Kaspbrak!” He screeched as the doors slammed shut behind him. The crew all dispersed, taking a much needed break and Eddie turned his attention to his fiancé .

“Richie…” Eddie pouted, resting his chin on his shoulder. “As much as I am loving this fun side of you, I would really like it if we could go home at some point in the next hour.”

“Oh come on love, it’s funny,” Richie laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, kissing his hair. “Admit it.”

“Oh there is no denying it, but you see, I’m really uncomfortable and honestly? I would rather be wearing no clothes at all,” Eddie whispered into his ear, making Richie perk up and clap his hands, rubbing them together.

“Right! Shall we get this show on the road fellas?” He called and the crew all took their place. A few minutes later, the photographer walked back in and he looked skeptical at Richie’s enthusiasm, but the rest of the shoot ran smoothly as it could have.

In less than an hour, they found themselves in the back of a limo, taking them back to the palace. As the car pulled up outside of the main gates, Eddie felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and not thinking much of who it might be, he answered it.

“Hello?”

“Edward Kaspbrak.” Eddie felt a chill run right through his body as he sat up straight. It was his mother. “How dare you get engaged to that...that man. I thought we had the discussion over dinner about you leading him on. I want you on the next flight home immediately. No room for discussion.”

“I’m not coming home mother,” Eddie hissed down the line. At the mention of his mother, Richie’s hand was on his knee, squeezing it reassuringly. “I’m marrying Richie whether you like it or not. You can’t do anything about it.”

“You think they’ll accept you over there? You think that the public will accept a _man_ ****as their future King’s spouse? You are so naive Eddie, so very naive. You can’t provide him with children, you don’t have the energy the deal with the press for the rest of your life Eddie-bear. You don’t fit in with them. Come home and marry a nice girl and have babies.” His mother rattled on and on.

“How do you know? That I don’t fit in?” Eddie asked, his eyes filling with tears that were immediately wiped away by Richie.

“Oh that nice man, Charles, gave me a call. He told me all about what you and...him have been up to since you went to London. Diabolical Eddie, I am so disappointed in you.” At her words Eddie pulled his phone away and ended the call, throwing it to the other side of the limo.

“Fuck her. Fuck her and her fucking opinion,” he muttered, burying his head into Richie’s neck. “I hate her. I know she’s my mother. I know but I hate her Richie. I fucking hate her.”

Richie rubbed a soothing hand up and down Eddie’s back, “It’s going to be alright darling,” he whispered. “Don’t listen to her, her opinion doesn’t matter.”

Once Eddie felt more composed, the exited the limo and walked into the safety of the palace, away from any prying eyes. The mood Eddie had been in prior to the phone call was shattered, but Richie didn’t seem to mind as they striped down and slipped under the covers. “What else did she say?” Richie asked after a few moments.”

“Charles called her,” Eddie whispered after a few moments. “I know he hates me, but I- I’ve never done anything to upset him, I always speak to him as nicely as I can and he...he called my _mother_. He called my mother to try and get her to break us up.”

“I’m going to speak to my dad in the morning. I’m not comfortable having him still working here, not when I know he’s conspiring against us. It just isn’t happening,” Richie said seriously. “Okay? Please don’t worry about it any more, it’ll be alright.”

Eddie trusted Richie more than anyone in the world, so he nodded his head softly, curling around his body and closed his eyes, drifting into a soft, yet restless sleep.

When Eddie woke up the next morning, it was to his phone ringing. He pulled the pillow over his head to block it out as he knew it was probably his mother, ready to reprimand him for hanging up on her the night before. It wouldn’t surprise him if she had gotten on the next flight to London all guns blazing, ready to drag him back to Maine.

When he looked at the caller ID however, he let out a breath of relief when he saw it was just his father. He answered the call and pressed the phone to his ear, “Hey dad…”

“Hey kid, did I wake you?” His dad spoke softly through the phone, but Eddie immediately sense something else underlying in his tone.

“What’s wrong dad?” His voice rose a little, loud enough for Richie to stir next to him and roll over, his fingers running up and down Eddie’s arm in an attempt to calm him down. “Dad?”

“I heard about what happened yesterday. With your mom.” Eddie pinched his nose, swallowing thickly. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine dad. I’m more worried about you. What’s wrong?” The silence on the other line stretched on for what felt like forever. It was unnerving for Eddie, who found himself scratching at the skin around his thumb of the hand that wasn’t holding his phone. “Dad?”

“I talked to your mother. When I found out what she did,” his dad eventually spoke up and Eddie froze, his attention grabbed. “We...we fought. A lot. It seemed like it was a long time coming honestly. The climax wasn’t a surprise.”

“What happened?” Eddie asked quietly, gripping the phone tight and reaching down to hold Richie’s hand just as tight. Richie laced their fingers together and sat up, pulling him into his lap.

“Your mother and I are getting a divorce, Eddie.” Even though Eddie saw it coming, actually hearing the words leave his dad’s mouth was like a stab to the gut. “We’re just not happy anymore, and I just can’t sit back and let her treat you the way she does anymore. I was staying in my marriage for you, but now that you’re safe and happy...there is no reason for me to stay.”

“Dad...dad it’s okay,” Eddie breathed out. “You and mom...you’re not good for each other, even I know that. I’m glad that you’re leaving her. You’ll be so much happier.”

He remained on the phone with his dad for a while after that,but he kept a firm grip on Richie’s hand. Having him there, next to him was extremely comforting. He pulled the phone from his ear when they hung up and tossed it to the bottom of the bed, leaning back against Richie who pressed a kiss to his hair. “Everything alright, love?”

“My parents are getting a divorce,” he whispered, closing his eyes. Richie let out a breath and wrapped his arms around him tighter.

“I’m so sorry, love,” Richie whispered but Eddie shook his head.

“No, no it’s for the best. My mother...you’ve met her. She’s like a parasite, draining all energy from anyone who comes into contact with her. He was only staying with her for me, but now that I’m here...with you...he doesn’t have to anymore. He’s finally able to break free from her clutches.

“Like you?” Richie asked, raising his eyebrow and Eddie tilted his head back, seeing his fiancé’s lips curled up in a smirk.

A smirk took over his own lips and he let out a laugh, nodding his head. “Yeah. Just like me.”

Richie ran his fingers through Eddie’s hair and he shifted in his lap, turning around to bring their lips together. Just as they were getting into it, there was a loud knock on their bedroom door and Stan’s voice filtered into the room.

“Sorry to interrupt whatever might be happening behind that door but...you might want to come and see this.”

The two of them looked at each other for a brief moment before they climbed out of bed and pulled some decent clothes on, leaving the room and meeting Stan in the hallway. “What’s going on?” Richie asked, rubbing his eyes and taking Eddie’s hand in his own as they walked down the corridor.

“News travels fast, about what happened with your mother and Charles,” Stan explained. “Your dad called for Charles this morning.”

It didn’t take a genius to put the pieces of the puzzle together and by the time they reached the grand hall, the commotion seemed to have passed. Went, Maggie and Lottie were all gathered in a huddle, talking between themselves as the staff who had been standing scattered to get on with their jobs. Richie cleared his throat, gaining his family’s attention. “Mum? Dad? What happened?”

Went took a step closer and put a hand on Richie’s shoulder and the other on Eddie’s. “You don’t have to worry about Charles anymore. I just fired him.”


End file.
